Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern men's basketball team will head back to the friendly confines of the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center when the Lions play host to Central Missouri this Thursday night. Tip off from Robert Corn Court is slated for 7:30 pm.
Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (11-3, 2-2 MIAA) vs Central Missouri (9-4, 2-2 MIAA)
Date: January 10, 2019
Tip-Off: 7:30 PM
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Robert Corn Court/Leggett & Platt Athletic Center (3,240)
Series Record: Central Leads 38-27
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (87-48 overall/at MSSU - 5th year). Doug Karleskint (89-45 at UCM/178-79 overall)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - Fox Sports Joplin - 101.3, AM 1560 KXMS 88.7 FM
Internet Audio: http://www.mssulions.com
Live Video: http://themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats: https://mssulions.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mssumensbball
The Series
Central leads the series 38-27 and the Lions have won five of the last seven games. The Lions are 16-13 vs. UCM at home and 10-20 on the road. Central has won all but one of the neutral site battles between the two clubs. The Lions are 1-5 all-time against the Mules in MIAA Tournament games after getting a win over then No. 18 ranked UCM in 2015 and Southern has played Central Missouri once in the NCAA Tournament. Southern swept the Mules in 17-18, winning at home against then No. 25 UCM and at Warrensburg, 82-80 in OT.
NCAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, rank ninth in scoring, 12th in three point attempts, 16th in scoring margin, three point defense and field goal percentage, while ranking 17th in total threes made and 19th in total assists. The team ranks 24th in defensive rebounds per game, 27th in assist to turnover ratio, assists per game and total rebounds, while ranking 30th in rebound margin, 36th in free throw attempts, and 39th in total rebounds per game.
NCAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin ranks fourth in field goal percentage, while ranking sixth in free throws made, 8th in both free throw attempts and double-doubles, ninth in total points, 12th in scoring and 13th in total field goals made. Reggie Tharp ranks 11th in assist to turnover ratio and 41st in total assists. Elyjah Clark ranks 12th in three point attempts and 32nd in total minutes and 38th in minutes per game.
MIAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, lead the MIAA in three point attempts, scoring, three point defense and total assists. The Lions rank second in assists per game, defensive rebounds per game, offensive rebounds per game, rebound margin, three pointers per game, total three pointers made, total rebounds and total rebounds per game. Southern ranks third in assist to turnover ratio, free throw attempts, fewest fouls per game and scoring margin.
MIAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin leads the MIAA in field goal percentage, double-doubles, free throw attempts, and free throws made. Elyjah Clark leads the MIAA in three point attempts and minutes per game. Martin ranks second in offensive rebounds, total field goals, total points and scoring, while ranking third in rebounds. Reggie Tharp ranks second total steals and third in total assists, while Kinzer Lambert ranks third in three point attempts and Clark ranks third in total three pointers made.
Preseason No. 1
The Lions were picked number one in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll this season.
Streak Stopper
Coming into the season Elyjah Clark had made a three pointer in 47-straight games, dating back to his freshman season. Clark, however, missed out on a three in the first game of the year, but has made a three in each game since, taking his current streak to 13.
Cam You Score A Lot?
Cam Martin tied a MSSU single-game record with 49 points at Minnesota State. The mark tied Carl Tyler from 1984. Coincidently, in his second game as a Lion, former guard CJ Carr scored 47 points against the same Minnesota State team two years ago.
National Ranking
The Lions are receiving votes in the NABC poll this week. In the history of the NABC Poll, the Lions have been ranked 58 times, including 23 consecutive weeks. The team has been No. 1 once (in the 2011 season).
Coach of the Year
Jeff Boschee was named the 2018 MIAA Coach of the Year. Boschee has coached the Lions to a 20-win season for the second time in his four-year career. Last year, the Lions were picked to finish sixth in the preseason coaches poll and the Lions finished the season second overall with two wins over regular-season MIAA Champ Northwest Missouri.
Three-Point Streak
The Lions failed to make a three-pointer at Arkansas Tech in their match-up in 2012-13. It was the first time in 403 games that Southern had failed to hit a three pointer, dating back to Jan. 20, 1999 against Missouri S&T. The Lions have had a three in 187-straight games since Arkansas Tech in 2012-13.
Dunk You Very Much
The Lions had nine dunks in the game against Baptist Bible on 11/29.
Records Abound
The Lions broke or tied four school records in the 137-50 win over Baptist Bible. Southern tied the school record for points in a game (137) and field goal attempts (95), while breaking the records for rebounds (77) and assists (37).
Three's Company
The Lions shattered the previous MSSU school record for three pointers in a game against Randall last year as Southern made 20 three pointers against the Saints. The previous record of 15 was set in 2003 against St. Gregory's.
Home Sweet Home
Missouri Southern can count on some of the best fan support in Division II. This season, the Lions rank 10th nationally in home attendance, averaging 1,442 fans per game. That number is third in the MIAA.
Holy Points Batman
The Lions scored 137 points against Baptist Bible to tie a school record. It was the most points since the scored 110 last year against Randall were the most the team has scored since they scored 113 against Southwest Baptist in 2014.
Super Tuesday
The Lions are 2-0 on Tuesday's this year and a perfect 8-0 in Jeff Boschee's tenure.
Corndogs Jackie
Southern is averaging 90 points per game this season and the Lions have topped the century mark four times, including three of the last five games.
Overtime's A Charm
For the third-straight time, the Lions and Minnesota State needed overtime to settle the score. The Lions won 100-98 this year and have won two of the three overtime games in the last three years between the two teams.
Records Watch
Junior Elyjah Clark had the Missouri Southern single-season record for three pointers as a freshman with 89 and broke that record last year with 110. Clark has 240 career threes, passing Skyler Bowlin for second all-time against Central Oklahoma this year. He is well over three-quarters to the career record of 265 set by Austin Wright.
Reachin' A Grand
Elyjah Clark went over 1,000 points in his career with 18 points against Minnesota-Crookston in the Puerto Rico Tournament. He currently has 1,145 in his career and is the 21st person in MSSU history to crack the 1,000 point plateau. Clark is jumped into the No. 14 spot in the career-scoring list, passing up Carlos Escalera, Eddin Santiago and Mario Phillips in the process. Next up is Marvin Townsend at 1,167 points.
Elyjah For Three
Clark has the top-two single-season three-point totals in MSSU history and his 237 threes made in his two-plus year career rank second. His career three-point percentage of .417 is second-best all-time, while he also tied the single-game record for three's made with nine. He has the season and career record for three pointers per game, while also holding the MSSU season and career record for consecutive games with a three (47).
Lions On The Radio
The majority of the Lions games this season can be heard on the Missouri Southern Radio Network in Joplin. Southern is partnering with Fox Sports Joplin, the Lions can be heard on 101.3 FM, 101.7 FM, 88.7 FM and AM 1560.
Lions on TV
All Missouri Southern conference home games will be brought to you live this season courtesy of KGCS TV in Joplin. Fans can catch the action over the air live on Digital Channel 22 as well as on local cable systems.
Up Next
The Lions will come continue the home stand as Southern plays host to Southwest Baptist this Saturday. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 3:30 pm.
