Joplin, Mo. -- The 17th-ranked Missouri Southern men's basketball team will get another crack at No. 1 as the Lions travel to Maryville to take on Northwest Missouri on Thursday night. Tip off from Bearcat Arena is slated for 7:30 pm.
Game Information
Teams: #17 Missouri Southern (19-5, 12-3 MIAA) at #1 Northwest Missouri (24-1, 14-1 MIAA)
Date: Feb. 20, 2020
Tip-Off: 7:30 pm
Location: Maryville, Mo.
Site: Bearcat Arena
Series Record: Northwest leads 34-26
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (120-58 overall/at MSSU - 6th year). Ben McCollum (265-76 overall/at NWMO - 11th 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
Northwest leads the overall series 34-26, but Southern has won 13 of the last 24 games, including the only defeat the Bearcats had all of 2016-17 when they won a National Championship. Missouri Southern is 18-9 at home against Northwest Missouri, while the Lions are 6-21 in Maryville. Northwest has won all but one of the neutral site games.While many of the games have been close, Northwest's biggest victory margin was 27 points, in the 2006 MIAA Tournament. Southern's most-lopsided win was a 93-67 decision on January 29, 2000.
MIAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, lead the MIAA in defensive rebounds per game, rebound margin and total rebounds per game.
MIAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin leads the MIAA in scoring, free throw attempts and free throw makes, while ranking second in defensive rebounds per game, double-doubles, rebounds, total field goals made, total points and total rebounds. Reggie Tharp is second 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.
Records Watch
Cam Martin sits in three different career categories, while Parker Jennings and Elyjah Clark also have their names in the record book. Martin currently has the top career scoring average at 22.8, while ranking third in career field goal percentage (.588). Jennings is second in career three point percentage (.434), while Clark is the career leader in three's (349) and is fourth in free throw shooting (.822).
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.
Bevo Francis Watchlist
For the second year in a row, Cam Martin has been named to the Bevo Francis Award Watchlist. The award goes to the best player in small school basketball which encompasses Division II, Division III, and the NAIA.
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 228-straight games since Arkansas Tech in 2012-13.
Start Your Engines
With his start at Emporia State, Elyjah Clark is the new career leader in games started at MSSU. Clark has now started in 116 career games.
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 64-14 in Jeff Boschee's tenure at home.
Player Of The Week
For the sixth time this season, Cam Martin was named the MIAA Player of the Week after averaging 37 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. He shot 57 percent from the field and 96 percent from the free-throw line.
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 6th nationally in home attendance, averaging 1,806 fans per game. That number is second-best in the MIAA.
Recent History With Northwest Missouri
In the last four seasons, Northwest Missouri has lost just six times with three of those coming against the Lions. Southern is also the last team to defeat the Bearcats in a regular-season game in Maryville, winning 73-70 on February 17, 2017 to snap a then 48-game home winning streak for the Bearcats.
National Ranking
The Lions are ranked No. 17 in the NABC poll this week and 16th in the D2 SID's Poll. In the history of the NABC Poll, the Lions have been ranked 75 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 Wurzburg. 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 349 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 1,714 in his career and was the 22nd person in MSSU history to crack the 1,000 point plateau. Clark has moved into 5th place all-time, passing Skyler Bowlin and Marquis Addison. Next up is John Thomas with 1,770 for 4th place.
Reachin' A Grand II
Kinzer Lambert went over the 1,000 point plateau last season and currently has 1,323 points in his career at Southern. He was 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 1,279 points in his career and is just behind Kinzer Lambert in 15th place.
A Grand Ole Time
With Cam Martin getting his 1,000th point this season, the Lions have three members on the squad that have 1,000 career points. It is the first time in school history a team has had three different 1,000 point scorers at the same time.
Elyjah For Three
Clark has the top-three single-season three-point totals in MSSU history and his 349 threes made in his three-plus year career rank first. He also tied the single-game record for three's made with nine and 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
After this game, the Lions will head to St. Joseph to take on Missouri Western this Saturday at 7:30 pm.
