STORY LINES
• The Mules wrap up their three-game home stand hosting Southwest Baptist on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
• The Mules are coming off a 75-62 win over Missouri Southern last Saturday afternoon.
• The Bearcats are coming off an 89-74 win at Pittsburg State on Tuesday night.
• Entering the game the Mules sit in a three-way tie for second place in the MIAA standings with Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern. UCM has beaten both teams this season. All three teams are two games behind first place Northwest Missouri.
• Thursday night's game has been deemed the Blackout Game and #teamUCM night. Fans are encouraged to wear black.
QUICK HITS
• This is the 109th season of Central Missouri Mules basketball.
• Central Missouri is third all-time in NCAA Division II men's basketball with 1,602 wins.
• In the Mules' 17 wins this season they are averaging 82.4 points per game and shooting 51 percent from the field. They are limiting opponents to 41 percent shooting and 64.9 points per game in those 17 games.
• In the Mules' four losses they are averaging 73.5 points per game and shooting 42 percent from the field.
• The Mules were 22-8 a season ago, the sixth 20-win season under Kim Anderson and the 22nd in school history.
• The 2012-13 season was the 10th straight season of at least 18 wins for UCM, the longest active streak in the MIAA. The longest streak in league history is 11 seasons, held by Northwest Missouri from 1997-2008.
• Central Missouri finished 13-5 in MIAA play last year and captured a share of the MIAA regular season championship for the second straight season. It was the fifth conference crown under Anderson and 23rd in school history.
• UCM returns one all-MIAA performer from a season ago.
Charles Hammork was an honorable mention All-MIAA pick last season after averaging 11.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He was also an MIAA Tournament All-Tournament Team selection in helping the Mules to the conference tournament title.
• Three of the top nine single-season scoring leaders in UCM history have come during the 11-year tenure of head coach Kim Anderson.
SERIES HISTORY VS SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
• This will be the 60th all-time meeting between Central Missouri and Southwest Baptist. The Mules lead the series 37-22, including a 19-6 edge during the Kim Anderson era.
• The Mules won both meetings last season and have won five straight games in the series.
• UCM is 21-8 against Southwest Baptist in Warrensburg, including an 11-1 mark under Anderson.
• The Mules have won nine straight games against SBU in the Multipurpose Building.
LAST MEETING WITH SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
• The Mules shot 55 percent from the field and made 12 three-pointers as they led from start to finish in a 108-91 win over Southwest Baptist on February 23, 2013 in Bolivar, Mo.
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Dominique Long led five Mules in double figures with 29 points on 10 of 14 shooting. He also had a career-high five assists.
Charles Hammork had 17 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
• The Mules dished out 23 assists on 41 made baskets and had a season-low seven turnovers.
• UCM forced 14 SBU turnovers and held a 46-34 advantage in points in the paint.
• The Mules out-rebounded the Bearcats 39-25 and held a 16-2 advantage in second chance points.
• SBU shot 55 percent from the field, 31 of 56, and made 10 three-point field goals.
• The Mules finished the game with seven steals.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
• Southwest Baptist comes into the game at 11-10 overall and 4-8 in MIAA play following an 89-74 win at Pittsburg State on Tuesday night.
• The Bearcats have won three of their last four games, with the only loss being a 96-94 defeat to Missouri Southern at home. The average margin of victory during those three wins is 16.0 points per game.
• SBU is averaging an MIAA-best 86.8 points per game, but they give up 84.2 per contest. The Bearcats shoot 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from behind the three-point line.
• Opponents are shooting 47 percent from the field against SBU and 37 percent from three-point range. Opponents have attempted 52 more free throws than the Bearcats.
• Desi Barmore leads three players in double figures at 17.1 points per game. Rashaad Brown-Peterson averages 15.9 points per contest, while Derrick Stewart chips in 11.1 per outing.
• Menas Stephens leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 per game and also chips in 7.2 points per contest.
• The Bearcats get out-rebounded by the opposition by one board per game.
• SBU leads the conference averaging 18.8 assists per game, but they also average 14.4 turnovers per outing.
• The Bearcats have pulled away from opponents in the second half of games this year. They have out-scored opponents 850-849 in the first half this season, but hold a 973-919 advantage in second half scoring.
LAST TIME OUT • CENTRAL MISSOURI 75, MISSOURI SOUTHERN 62• 2/1/14
WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The Central Missouri Mules strung together their third-straight victory, defeating visiting Missouri Southern, 75-62 on Saturday afternoon.
   A back-and-forth game for the first 6:43 led to a 9-8 edge for Missouri Southern after a three-pointer by Austin Wright provided the Lions with their second and final lead of the game.
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Kyle Wolf put the Mules (17-4, 9-3 MIAA) back in front, 11-9 on the following UCM possession, draining a triple on an assist by
Daylen Robinson.
   The Mules' lead balooned to nine at 20-11 with 7:59 left in the first half, following three-straight buckets by
Dillon Deck, who finished with 15 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the floor.
   The Lions scored six unanswered points to cut the deficit to 20-17, but
Kyle Wolf would score five-consecutive points to put the Mules back up by eight at 25-17 with 5:49 to go until halftime.
   The two teams closed out the half exchanging baskets as UCM held a 37-28 lead. The Mules had an 11-3 edge in bench points through the first 20 minutes.
   The Mules came out in the second half scoring the first five points courtesy of a layup by Deck and a three-pointer by
Jon Gilliam.
   The Mules' lead dipped under 10 with 13:49 left when Slim Magee hit a pair of free throws to make it a 47-38 game.
   UCM jumped back out to a 15-point advantage following baskets by
Brennen Hughes, Robinson, Wolf and
Preston Brunz over the next 1:41. The Lions continued to fight back cutting the deficit to eight at 55-47, highlighted by a combined 5-of-6 from the charity stripe from Marquis Addison and Lane Barlow.
   Robinson answered with a bucket on the following possession to bump the lead back to 10 at 57-47 with just over 10 minutes remaining. The Mules' lead never dipped below nine points for rest of the game. Central Missouri dominated the Lions in points in the paint in the second half, outscoring MSSU, 24-12.
   The Mules shot 58% from the floor (29-of-50), including 60.9% in the first half (14-of-23). Robinson led the Mules with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the floor, and added three assists and a steal. Deck chipped in 15 points and Wolf contributed a dozen towards the final tally.
THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• Central Missouri is 152-66 in MIAA play during the Kim Anderson era and 9-3 this season after the 75-62 win over Missouri Southern last Saturday at the Multi.
• The Mules were 13-5 in conference play last year and won a share of the MIAA regular season title.
• The Mules' best MIAA record under Anderson was an 18-2 mark during the 2009-10 season.
• The Mules have captured five MIAA regular season championships and four MIAA tournament titles under Kim Anderson.
MULES IN NON-CONFERENCE ACTION
• The Mules are 109-28 in non-conference games during the Kim Anderson era after the win over Culver-Stockton on December 16.
• Central Missouri is 53-1 in the last 54 non-conference games at home.
THE MULES AT HOME
• Central Missouri is 151-21 at the Multipurpose Building under Kim Anderson after beating Missouri Southern 75-62 on Saturday afternoon.
• The Mules were 13-0 at home last season and have won 24 straight games at the Multi dating back to the 2011-12 season.
• Over the last nine years, UCM is 134-11 at home, including 53-1 against non-conference opponents and 81-10 in MIAA play.
• The Mules are 462-88 in their 38th season playing home games at the Multi.
THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• UCM is 67-56 on the road during the Kim Anderson after the win at Lincoln on Wednesday.
• The Mules are 4-4 on the road this season after going 4-5 on the road last season.
A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules an 18-4 overall record and a 10-3 mark in MIAA play. It would keep the Mules no worse than two games behind first place Northwest Missouri.
• Give the Mules six straight wins against SBU, including 10 in the last 11 meetings and 10 straight wins over the Bearcats in Warrensburg.
• Give UCM a 38-22 lead in the all-time series.
• Give Central Missouri 25 straight home wins.
• Give the Mules 18 wins in a season for the 11th straight season, tying the conference record held by Northwest Missouri (1997-2008).
A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 17-5 overall and 9-4 in MIAA play and as far down as fourth in the conference standings.
• Snap a five game winning streak against Southwest Baptist.
• Snap a 24-game home court winning streak and a nine-game home court winning streak against Southwest Baptist.
ANDERSON LEADING THE WAY
• Now in his 12th season leading the Mules, Central Missouri head coach Kim Anderson has compiled a career record of 261-94 (.735).
• His .731 winning percentage entering the 2013-14 season ranks seventh among all active NCAA Division II coaches.
• He has led UCM to five MIAA regular season titles, more than any other coach in school history, four MIAA tournament championships, two Regional championships and two Final Four appearances.
• Anderson recorded career win No. 200 with a 65-61 win against Washburn on February 9, 2011.
• Anderson is one of only five coaches in Central Missouri history to record 100 or more career wins - Anderson (261), Tad. C. Reid (178), Earl Keth (159), Jim Wooldridge (131) and Lynn Nance (114).
• Three of the top nine single-season scoring leaders in Central Missouri history have come during the tenure of head coach Kim Anderson.
MULES BASKETBALL HISTORY
• In the 109th season of UCM basketball the Mules have compiled a 1,602-923 (.634) record in 2,525 total games.
• The Mules are the third winningest program by victories in NCAA-II history.
• Central Missouri became just the third NCAA-II program with 1,600 all-time wins.
• The Mules have won 20 or more games 22 times in the history of the program.
• Central Missouri has won 30 or more games in a season twice, both during the Kim Anderson era.
• UCM has won or shared 23 MIAA regular season championships and five MIAA tournament titles.
THE NEXT LEVEL
• In the Kim Anderson era, 23 former players have gone on to play professional basketball.
• Four players are either currently playing professionally or on a professional roster; Michael Hicks (Poland, Polpharma-Pakmet),
Reggie Stallings (Rochester Razor Sharks), Sanijay Watts (Germany, Dorsten) and Zack Wright (Germany, Brose Basket).
A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
• Central Missouri has won a combined 193 MIAA regular-season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured three MIAA regular season titles and one tournament championship.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director
Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 139 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won five national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, and women's bowling in 2003) and seven national championships overall.
A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• The 550 Central Missouri student-athletes received 375 Academic Awards from the MIAA office for the 2012-13 academic year.
• 305 UCM student-athletes were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
• 37 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Scholar Athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA and having earned all-MIAA honors in their respective sport.
• 33 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had eight student-athletes earn Academic All-America honors in their respective sports, including Brent Vogel being named the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for Men's Track & Field.
MULES BASKETBALL ON THE AIR
• Central Missouri basketball is broadcast live on the new 44,000-watt 98.5 "The Bar, 1450 KOKO and online at warrensburgradio.com. All games are broadcast by 1450 KOKO/98.5 "The Bar" Sports Director, Greg Hassler.
• The Kim Anderson Show presented by Bob Showers of Ameritas Investment Corp. airs on Monday nights at 7 p.m. on 98.5 The Bar and 1450 KOKO as well as warrensburgradio.com.
• The Central Missouri Sportspage is your weekly one-hour look at UCM athletics each Thursday night at 7 p.m. on KMOS-TV.
LIVE VIDEO STREAMING
• Live video coverage for every Central Missouri home game will be available through America One Sports. All home games and road MIAA games will be available on a pay-per-view basis. The cost is $8 per game, $30 for a 30-day pass or $89.95 for an all-season pass for UCM men's and women's basketball. Fans can access webcasts through the AmericaOneSports link on the UCM Athletics website or by going to AmericaOneSports.com
UPCOMING
• The Mules travel to Joplin on Saturday, Feb. 8 for the second meeting with Missouri Southern in a week.
• Central Missouri returns home to host Lincoln on Wednesday night, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
