Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern men's basketball team will open up the 2021 MIAA Tournament pesented by Citizens Bank and Trust tomorrow night against Central Oklahoma. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is set for 6 pm.
Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (13-9) vs. Central Oklahoma (12-10)
Date: March 3, 2021
Tip-Off: 6 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Robert Corn Court/Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: MSSU leads UCO 12-5
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (137-70 overall/at MSSU - 7th year). Bob Hoffman (930-363 overall/23-27 at UCO)
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
Series Info
Southern holds a 12-5 advantage in the series between the two teams and the Lions have won 10 of the last 11. The first time the two teams played was in 1973 with Central Oklahoma taking that game in Joplin. The two teams didn't play again until 1991, then played twice more until 2013 when UCO joined the MIAA. The Lions are 6-3 at home, 4-2 on the road and 2-0 in neutral site games.
MIAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions lead the league in assists per game, blocks per game, defensive rebounds per game, scoring, total assists, total blocks, total rebounds and total rebounds per game. Southern ranks second in field goal percentage and rebound margin, while ranking third in field goal defense, three point field goals per game, three point percentage and total three pointers made per game.
NCAA Team Stat Leaders
Southern leads Division II in total rebounds, while ranking third in total assists, fifth in free throw attempts, seventh in free throws made, total blocks and defensive rebounds per game, 12th in total three pointers made, 17th in three point attempts, 25th in field goal percentage and 29th in rebounds per game.
MIAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin leads the MIAA in total points, total field goal attempts, total field goals made, total blocks, scoring field goal percentage and defensive rebounds per game. He is second in blocks per game, double-double's, free throw attempts, free throws made and total rebounds, while ranking third in rebounds per game.
NCAA Individual Stat Leaders
Martin ranks in the top 10 nationally in ten different categories including leading D2 in total points and total field goals made. He ranks second in total rebounds and total field goal attempts, third in defensive rebounds, fifth in double-doubles, total minutes and points per game, and sixth in both free throws made and attempted. Martin also ranks 24th in total blocks. Lawson Jenkins ranks 11th nationally in three point attempts and 20th in total three pointers made.
See Stan Score
Stan Scott obliterated his previous career-high in scoring against Fort Hays State as the senior scored 32 points on the evening. His previous career high was 20. Stan went 11-of-20 from the field and added ten rebounds on the night.
He's On Fire
Christian Bundy started the game at Rogers State 6-of-6 from the field and 4-of-4 from the three-point line and finished with a career-high 25 points, as well as his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.
Score Some Points Young One
Lawson Jenkins has been making the most out of his insertion into the starting lineup and the freshman went out and had a career game at Northeastern State as he scored 29 points on 7-of-12 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
NCAA Regional Polls
For the second week, the Lions are among the eight teams listed under consideration in the NCAA Central Region Poll. This year, only six teams will make the regional and the NCAA has re-aligned the conferences within each region with just the Northern Sun and the MIAA representing the Central Region. Instead of ranking teams each week, the NCAA is just listing teams alphabetically that are under consideration.
Records Watch
Cam Martin sits in five different MSSU career categories for the Lions. Martin currently has the top career scoring average at 23.6 and most free throw attempts at 630, while ranking second in career scoring (2,009), third career rebounds (799) fourth in career field goal percentage (.592), and ranking fifth in blocks (102).
Cam You Score A Lot
Cam Martin put himself amongst the Missouri Southern single-season scoring leaders when 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. Martin eclipsed his total from that season with 746 last year and is the only player in Southern history to do that twice in a career.
Cam You Score A Lot II
Cam Martin set the MSSU single-game scoring record at Missouri Western in 2019-20 as he scored 54 points against the Griffons. The 54 points was the most scored in Division II that year and Cam was one of only four players to hit the 50-point plateau last year. Martin had two of the top-eight scoring games that season in Division II.
The Century Mark
Jeff Boschee won his 100th career game at Missouri Southern against Washburn in the 2019 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.
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 258-straight games since Arkansas Tech in 2012-13.
20-20 Court Vision
Cam Martin had 24 points and 21 rebounds against Lincoln on Feb. 4. He became the first Lion since Slim Magee to have a 20-20 game. Magee had 24 points and 20 rebounds in the opening-round of the 2014 MIAA Tournament (3-7-14). The 21 rebounds is tied for fifth-most in a single game at MSSU.
Active NCAA Division II Career Leaders
Cam Martin is in rare company among the active career leaders in NCAA Division II. Martin currently is the active career leader in scoring average, free throws made and free throws attempted. He ranks second in field goals made and rebounds, while ranking fourth in total points.
A Group Of Few
Including his stats from his freshman year at Jacksonville State, Cam Martin is one of just five active individuals in all of NCAA men's basketball to have at least 1,700 points and 800 rebounds. He ranks third on the list and is one of two D-2 players on the list. Martin leads Division II in that category.
Rare Air
Cam Martin has become the second person in MSSU history to have at least 1,700 points and 700 rebounds, joining John Thomas who finished his career with 1,700 points and 1,536 rebounds.
Reachin' A Grand
Cam Martin went over the 1,000 point plateau with his 26 points against Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 6, 2020 and passed the 2,000 point plateau this week against Central Oklahoma. Martin is the fastest Lion to both 1,000 and 2,000 points. He currently has 2,009 points in his career and is in 2nd place on the all-time scoring list, passing Jason Adams who had 1,981 points. Next up on the list is Greg Garton with 2,140 points for tops all-time.
Lions In The Pros
Currently, there are nine active former Lions playing professionally in Europe or overseas. Skyler Bowlin (Iraklis - Greece), Elyjah Clark (Ankara Basket - Turkey), Enis Memic (Spars - Bosina), Vincent Ateba (Saint Vallier - France), Keane Thomann (BAC - Denmark), Marquis Addison (Sibiu - Romania), CJ Carr (Fjolnir - Iceland), JJ Cratit (TSV - Germany) and Jordan Talbert (Wolmirsted - Germany) all are playing professionally.
D1 Transfers
Southern welcomes in two Division I transfers to this year's team in RJ Smith and Yagizhan Selcuk. Smith came to the Lions from Sam Houston State where he started all 31 games a season ago. Selcuk came to Southern from Montana where he saw limited action as a sophomore.
How Do You Say That?
Newcomer Yagizhan Selcuk will most likely have to pronounce his name for many PA announcers this year, but to help out, we call him Yagi for short. You can pronounce his name Yagi Sell-Chook.
Up Next
With a win, the Lions will play the winner of the Northwest Missouri/Emporia State game at the site of the highest remaining seed on Friday.
