Joplin, Mo. -- The 12th-ranked Missouri Southern men's basketball team will close out its brief homestand tomorrow afternoon as the Lions play host to Newman University. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 3:30 pm.
Game Information
Teams: #12 Missouri Southern (12-2, 5-0 MIAA) vs. Newman (7-8, 1-5 MIAA)
Date: Jan. 11, 2020
Tip-Off: 3:30 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Robert Corn Court/Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: Series tied 1-1
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (113-55 overall/at MSSU - 6th year). R.J. Allen (41-31 overall/at Newman - 3rd year)
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
The series between these two teams is tied at one win each.The two teams played a home-and home series in 2007-08 with Newman taking the first game in an overtime win in Wichita, 86-84, while the Lions won in 2008 with an 87-64 victory inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
MIAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, lead the MIAA in assist to turnover ratio, assists per game, rebound margin, scoring offense, three pointers per game and total assists.
MIAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin leads the MIAA in free throw attempts and free throws made, while ranking second in defensive rebounds, scoring, rebounds, total field goals made, total points and total rebounds. Reggie Tharp is second in assist to turnover ratio.
NCAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, rank 11th in scoring margin, 12th in assist to turnover ratio, 13th in rebound margin, 14th in field goal percentage, 15th in three pointers per game, 18th in assist per game, 19th in three point percentage, 23rd in total three pointers made per game, 25th in defensive rebounds per game, 28th in fewest turnovers per game and 30th in total assists.
NCAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin is 19th in scoring, while ranking 31st in free throw attempts, 39th in free throws made, and 44th in both total field goals and total points. Reggie Tharp ranks 21st 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 Boschee 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 three games this season, defeating Saint Mary 113-63, Culver-Stockton 110-46 and Arkansas Tech 105-88.
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 219-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 61-12 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 8th nationally in home attendance, averaging 1,576 fans per game. That number is second-best in the MIAA.
National Ranking
The Lions are ranked No. 12 in the NABC poll this week and 12th in the D2 SID's Poll. In the history of the NABC Poll, the Lions have been ranked 70 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
Senior 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 324 career three pointers now as a senior. With the rest of the 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 1,585 in his career and was the 22nd person in MSSU history to crack the 1,000 point plateau. Clark has moved into 7th place all-time, passing Chris Tucker. Next up is Skyler Bowlin with 1,664 points for 6th place.
Reachin' A Grand II
Kinzer Lambert went over the 1,000 point plateau last season and currently has 1,191 points in his career at Southern. He is the 23rd Lion to do so in the program's history and sits at 14th place on the scoring list in MSSU history.
Reachin' A Grand III
Cam Martin went over the 1,000 point plateau with his 26 points against Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 6, 2020. Martin accomplished the feat in 45 games, the fastest Lion to hit that mark. He currently has 1,021 points in his career.
Elyjah For Three
Clark has the top-two single-season three-point totals in MSSU history and his 324 threes made in his three-plus year career rank first. His career three-point percentage of .399 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
Southern will head back out on the road, taking on Lincoln University on January 16 at 7:30 pm.
