Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern men's basketball team will play in their second home contest of the season on Saturday, November 25. Great Lakes Valley Conference member, Rockhurst University, will visit Joplin as the opponent. This contest marks MSSU's last non-conference matchup of the season. 

Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (2-3) vs Rockhurst (1-3)
Date: November 25
Tip-Off: 3:00 PM
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Leggett and Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: MSSU leads 26-21 | 11/22/16 MSSU victory 85-74 most recently

Coaches
MSSU: Sam McMahon | 2nd season at MSSU | 19-16 record
RU: Drew Diener | 9th season at RU | 110-116 record

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - SOMO Sports Radio - 101.3 FM / 1560 AM
Live Audio/Video/Stats - https://www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook:  Facebook.com/mssumbb
Lions on Twitter: @mssumensbball; @mososports
Lions on Instagram: @mssumensbball

Scouting the Lions
Missouri Southern is off to a 2-3 start to the 2023-24 season. They began the year with a split in their opening tournament, falling to MSU Moorhead 99-81, but taking down Bemidji State 69-61. In their lone home game, the Lions handled Central Christian 92-56. Most recently MSSU fell in both contests at the Double Tree Thanksgiving Classic. Illinois Springfield won the first game 96-77, and Drury held off Missouri Southern 76-70 in the second game. 

Darius Dawson continues to lead the Lions in scoring, averaging 13.4 per game on 57.8% shooting from the field. Cam Williams and Sam Thompson are each averaging double digits points, Williams with 11.6 and Thompson at 10.6 per game.

The rebounding category is led by Dawson with a total of 42, averaging 8.4 per game. In the steals column, Williams has recorded 7 and Dawson has 6 this year. Both also lead the team with 4 blocks each. 

Vinson Sigmon Jr. enters Saturday's contest just 6 points shy of 1,000 in his career. His vision has been solid this year, leading the Lions with 13 assists so far. 

Scouting the Hawks
The Rockhurst Hawks enter Saturday's contest at 1-3 (0-0 GLVC). To begin the year, the Hawks hosted the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge, and Rockhurst went 1-1 in that tournament. First, they lost to Purdue University Northwest, 78-66. Their lone win came against Davenport University, 81-64. Since then, they've played two MIAA schools in Missouri Western and Washburn. Against the Griffons, the Hawks fell 92-76, and the Ichabods defeated the Hawks 82-66. 

Miles White, a 6-2 sophomore guard, leads the team in scoring. He is shooting 53.8% from the field and has gone 13-23 (56.5%) from beyond the arc, averaging 15.3 points per contest. Additionally, he is averaging 4.0 rebounds per game and has 3 steals this year.

A couple more Hawks are averaging double digits as well, Brian Hawthorne and Timaris Brown are averaging 11.0 and 10.5 points per game respectively. Their rebounding numbers are nearly identical as well, Hawthorne with 4.8 and Brown at 4.5 per game. Hawthorne leads the team in assists (13) and steals (9). 

The Missouri Southern men's basketball season is presented by Arvest Bank, a proud supporter of Lion Athletics.