Joplin, Mo. -- The 11th-ranked Missouri Southern men's basketball team will continue its non-conference slate as the Lions will play host to Arkansas Tech tomorrow. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 1 pm.
Game Information
Teams: #11 Missouri Southern (7-2, 2-0 MIAA) vs. Arkansas Tech (6-3, 2-2 GAC)
Date: Dec. 21, 2019
Tip-Off: 1 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo. -- Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: Southern leads 17-9
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (108-55 overall/at MSSU - 6th year). Chad Kline (90-66 at Arkansas Tech/ overall - 6th season)
Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - Fox Sports Joplin - 101.3, 107.9 FM, AM 1560 & 1340; KXMS 88.7 FM
Live Audio/Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mssumensbball
The Series
Southern is 17-9 overall against Arkansas Tech. The two teams hooked up nearly every year in the early to mid 70's and then became a regular opponent in the Lions' Thanksgiving tournament from 1991-97. The two teams have played three out of the last four years with the Lions taking two of the three meetings. Southern has won six out of the last nine games against the Wonder Boys, however ATU has won the last two in a row. The Lions are 15-3 at home, 2-5 in Russellville and 0-1 in neutral locations.
MIAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, lead the MIAA in Assist to turnover ratio, assist per game, defensive rebounds per game, fewest fouls, fewest personal fouls per game, rebound margin, scoring margin, scoring, three pointers per game and total rebounds per game.
MIAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin leads the MIAA in free throws made, while ranking second in defensive rebounds, free throw attempts, scoring total field goals made and total points. Reggie Tharp ranks second in assist to turnover ratio, while Kinzer Lambert is second in three point percentage.
NCAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, rank sixth in scoring margin, seventh in fewest fouls per game and eighth in rebound margin. The team ranks 15th in both assist to turnover ratio and fewest fouls, while ranking 17th in scoring defense, 18th in three pointers per game, 19th in fewest turnovers per game, 20th in total rebounds per game, 21st in scoring, 26th in fewest turnovers, 31st in field goal percentage 32nd in assists per game and 38th in turnover margin.
NCAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin is 27th in scoring, 47th in total field goals made and 48th in total points, while Reggie Tharp is 24th in assist to turnover ratio.
Streak Stopper
Coming into the 2018-19 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, and ran another streak to 37 games before he failed to make a three against Culver-Stockton this year.
Cam You Score A Lot?
Cam Martin tied a MSSU single-game record with 49 points at Minnesota State in 2018-19. The mark tied Carl Tyler from 1984. Martin nearly set the NCAA Tournament scoring record against Washburn in 2019 as he finished with 46 points, eight off the record of 54.
Cam You Score A lot II
Cam Martin put himself amongst the Missouri Southern single-season scoring leaders as he became only the second Lion to ever score 700 or more points, joining Taevaunn Prince in that category last season. He finished with 720 which is the second most scored in a single-season at MSSU.
The Century Mark
Jeff Boshcee won his 100th career game at Missouri Southern against Washburn in the NCAA Tournament. He became the quickest to 100 wins in MSSU history. The previous mark was Frank Davis who reached 100 wins in 161 games. Boschee did it in 152 games.
Corndogs ... Roary
The Lions have scored 100 or more points in two games this season, defeating Saint Mary 113-63 and Culver-Stockton 110-46.
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 215-straight games since Arkansas Tech in 2012-13.
Perfection
For just the third time in program history, the Lions went perfect at home during the 2018-19 season (13-0). Only the 1969-70 (11-0) and the 1999-2000 (18-0) teams were also perfect at home. The Lions are 58-12 in Jeff Boschee's tenure at home.
Perfection II
This season, the Lions are perfect when the following things happen: playing at home, scoring 70-79 points, scoring more than 90 points, allowing fewer than 69 points, make more free throws, game is decided by 20 or more points and playing on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Three's Company
The Lions broke the MSSU single-game 3-point record with 22 3's against Washburn in the NCAA Tournament in 2018-19. The 22 3's was one three-pointer off of the NCAA Tournament record of 23 in a single-game.
Home Sweet Home
Missouri Southern can count on some of the best fan support in Division II. This season, the Lions rank 9th nationally in home attendance, averaging 1,680 fans per game. That number is second-best in the MIAA.
National Ranking
The Lions are ranked No. 11 in the NABC poll this week and 14th in the D2 SID's Poll. In the history of the NABC Poll, the Lions have been ranked 68 times, including 23-consecutive weeks at one time. The team has been No. 1 once (in the 2011 season).
Professional Lions
The Lions have nine former players playing professionally either in Europe or in the NBA's G-League. Marquis Addison plays in Switzerland for Geneve, while Skyler Bowlin plays in Germany for S. Oliver Wuezburg. Cameron Cornelius plays in Romania for CSM Focsani, while Vincent Ateba plays in France for Orcheisien BC. Keane Thomann plays in Denmark for EBAA, while Enis Memic plays in Bosnia for Spars, while Jordan Talbert plays in Germany for Wolmirstedt. Taevaunn Prince plays in Spain for Ponferrada CDP. CJ Carr plays in the NBA's G-League for the Iowa Wolves, an affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Record-Breaking Sniper
Junior Elyjah Clark already has the Missouri Southern single-season record for three pointers with 110. Clark broke the career record against Fort Hays State in 2018-19 and has 306 career three pointers now as a junior. With one season left to play, Clark now can target the MIAA record of 370.
Reachin' A Grand
Elyjah Clark went over 1,000 points in his career with 18 points against Minnesota-Crookston in 2018-19. He currently has 1,500 in his career and was the 22nd person in MSSU history to crack the 1,000 point plateau. Clark has moved into 9th place all-time, passing Matt Olson against Northwest Missouri in the 18-19 season finale. Next up is Chris Tucker with 1,520 points for 8th place.
Reachin' A Grand II
Kinzer Lambert went over the 1,000 point plateau last season and currently has 1,134 points in his career at Southern. He is the 23rd Lion to do so in the program's history and sits at 16th place on the scoring list in MSSU history.
Elyjah For Three
Clark has the top-two single-season three-point totals in MSSU history and his 306 threes made in his three-plus year career rank first. His career three-point percentage of .394 is tied for third-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).
Up Next
The Lions will be back at home on December 31 as Southern plays host to John Brown. Tip off from inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 5:30 pm.
