Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern men's basketball team will complete their first home conference series of the 2023-24 season Saturday, playing host to the Jets of Newman University. 

Game Information
Teams: Missouri Southern (2-7, 0-3 MIAA) vs Newman Jets (4-4, 1-2 MIAA)
Date: December 9
Tip-Off: 3:30 PM
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: MSSU leads 8-2 | Southern has won the past 6 meetings

Coaches
MSSU: Sam McMahon | 2nd season at MSSU | 19-20 record
NU: R.J. Allen | 8th season at NU | 70-108 record

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - 101.7 FM The Vault
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 2-6 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 first home game, the Lions handled Central Christian 92-56. MSSU fell in both contests at the Double Tree Thanksgiving Classic last week. Illinois Springfield won the first game 96-77, and Drury held off Missouri Southern 76-70 in the second game. In their final non-conference contest of the season, the Lions fell to the Rockhurst Hawks. 

To begin conference play, MSSU nearly completed an upset bid over #15 Northwest Missouri on their court, but fell 78-74. Closing out that series, the Lions fell on a last second shot to then-undefeated Missouri Western, 62-61. In their home conference opener, the Lions fell 73-63 to #3 nationally ranked Central Oklahoma.

Vinson Sigmon Jr. is back averaging double digits at 10.7 points per game, coming off a 19 point, 7-9 shooting performance against UCO.

Martin Macenis dropped a career-high 15 against the Bronchos, with 6 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Avery Taggart has been hot lately, scoring double digits in each of the past five contests. He leads the team with 25 assists.  

Darius Dawson leads the Lions in scoring, averaging 11.0 per game. He has also been doing most of the rebounding, entering Saturday with a team-high 7.3 per contest (7th in MIAA). 

Cam Williams leads the team with 15 steals this year, the fourth most in the conference. 

Scouting the Jets
The Newman Jets enter Saturday's competition with a 4-4 (1-2 MIAA) record in 2023-24. They began the year with a thriller, taking down Concordia St. Paul on a last second and-one layup by Stevie Strong. Other non-conference wins include Kansas Christian and Manhattan Christian. The Jets have fallen to Minot State 73-59 and William Jewell 90-77 in non-conference action. In conference play, Newman kicked things off with an 83-71 loss to Lincoln, but bounced back with a 59-58 victory over Central Missouri. The Jets trailed 58-56 with four second left, but Kaeson Fisher-Brown hit a three as time expired. Most recently, Newman fell to Pittsburg State 82-66. They trailed 50-20 at the half. 

Three Jets are averaging double digits this season, Stevie Strong (13.3), Sam Somerhalder (12.1), and Stevie Smith (11.4). Somerhalder has been the most efficient of those three, shooting 60.3% from the field. He is also leading the team in rebounds with 58 this year, 7.3 per game. 

Four Jets have recorded 20+ assists, Stevie Strong (28), Kaeson Fisher-Brown (27), Sam Somerhalder (26), and Stevie Smith (20). Strong leads the team with 10 steals, but Somerhalder has 9, and Smith also has 8. 

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