MSSU men face off with Northwest Missouri in MIAA semi-finals

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Joplin, Mo. -- The fourth-seeded Missouri Southern men's basketball team will face off with the top-seeded and third-ranked Northwest Missouri Bearcats tomorrow afternoon in the MIAA Tournament Semifinals. Tip off is slated for 2:30 pm. 

Game Information

Teams: Missouri Southern (18-11) vs. #3 Northwest Missouri State (27-1)

Date: Saturday, March 4, 2017
Tip-Off: 2:30 pm
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
Site: Municipal Auditorium (7,316)
Series Record: Northwest leads 31-22
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (56-34 overall/at MSSU - 3rd year). Ben McCollum (169-71 overall/at NWMO)

Media Coverage

MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - ESPN Joplin - 101.3, 103.5 FM, AM 1560 KXMS 88.7 FM
Internet Audio: www.mssulions.com
Live Video: www.mssulions.com
Live Stats: www.mssulions.com
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mssumensbball

The Series

Northwest leads the overall series 31-22, but Southern has won ten of the last 17 games. Missouri Southern is 16-10 at home against Northwest Missouri, while the Lions are 5-18 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. Five out of the last 11 games have been decided by a basket or less.

NCAA Individual Stat Leaders

CJ Carr is 17th in Division II total field goal attempts, while ranking 19th in both total steals and total assists. He ranks 23rd nationally in assists per game, while ranking 26th in total minutes and 31st in steals per game. Elyjah Clark ranks 33rd and 35th nationally in three point attempts and makes, respectively.

NCAA Team Stat Leaders

Southern ranks 24th in turnover margin, while ranking 31st in free throw percentage, 39th in offensive rebounds, 44th in free throws made, 47th in turnovers per game and 52nd in three point attempts.

MIAA Individual Leaders

Carr leads the MIAA in assists per game, steals per game, total assists, total field goal attempts, total minutes and total steals this year, while ranking third in minutes per game and sixth in scoring. Clark leads the MIAA in three point attempts and three pointers made, while ranking second in three pointers per game. Lawrence Brown is second in offensive rebounds, while ranking third in total rebounds.

MIAA Team Stat Leaders

The Lions lead the MIAA in scoring, offensive rebounds per game and total rebounds. The team ranks second in three point attempts, free throw percentage, and total steals, while ranking third in free throws made, three pointers per game, total three pointers made, total assists, total blocks, turnover margin and turnovers forced.

All-MIAA

The Lions had four players earn All-MIAA recognition this season. CJ Carr was a second-team selection, while JJ Cratit, Lawrence Brown and Elyjah Clark earned honorable-mention All-MIAA.

Freshman of the Year

Elyjah Clark was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year this week. His is the sixth Lion in the history of the program to earn that honor, joining Carlos Newberry (96-97), Carlos Escalera (99-00), Skyler Bowlin (07-08), Jason Adams (08-09), and Marquis Addison (10-11).

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 141-straight games since Arkansas Tech in 2012-13.

High Scoring Affair

The Lions scored the second-highest points of the season against Randall when they scored 105 points. The 37-point margin of victory is the most since the Lions defeated Avila by 41 points in the 13-14 season (108-67).

Game of Firsts

Against Arkansas Tech, the Lions scored 90 plus points and lost for the only time this year and just the second time under Jeff Boschee. They also allowed 100 plus points at home for the first time since the 2009 season.

Chasin' A Record

Elyjah Clark is currently second all-time in single-season three pointers made with 87. He sits just one away from tying the mark Austin Wright had last year with 88.

New School Record

The Lions set a new school record with 42 attempted three pointers against Missouri S&T. The mark surpassed the 34 set last season against Washburn.

Home Sweet Home

Missouri Southern can count on some of the best fan support in Division II. The Lions rank 15th nationally in home attendance, averaging 1,487 n fans per game. That number ranks fifth in the MIAA.

MIAA Tournament

Missouri Southern has qualified for the MIAA Tournament for the 20th-straight season.

Super Tuesday

Southern is a perfect 3-0 this season and 4-0 in head coach Jeff Boschee's tenure when playing on Tuesday's.

Feeling Generous

CJ Carr set a new MSSU single-game record for assists against Pittsburg State with 16 in the game. The mark broke Eddin Santiago's mark of 15 set in 2000. The 16 assists are also the most in a single game in Division II this year.

Taking Down The Best

With the win against Northwest Missouri, the Lions took out a No. 1 ranked opponent for the first time since the 1999-2000 season when Southern defeated Florida Southern in the Elite Eight.

Three's Alive

The Lions tied a school record with 15 made three-pointers in a win against Northeastern State. It is the fifth time in school history to hit 15 treys in a game as the Lions did it against St. Gregory's in 2003, Missouri Western in 2009 and 2013, as well as Southwest Baptist in 2015.

Single-game High

CJ Carr scored 47 points earlier in the year against Minnesota State. That point total is the fourth-highest single-game total in the NCAA this year and the second-highest in MSSU single-game history.

Lions On The Radio

The majority of the Lions games this season can be heard on the Missouri Southern Radio Network in Joplin. Partnering with ESPN Joplin, the Lions can be heard on 101.3 FM, 103.5 FM, 88.7 FM and AM 1560.

Lions on TV

All Missouri Southern conference home games will be brought to you live this season courtesy of KGCS TV in Joplin. Fans can catch the action over the air live on Digital Channel 22 as well as on local cable systems.

Up Next

With a win, Missouri Southern will play in the MIAA Championship game on Sunday at 1 pm against the winner of the Central Missouri/Nebraska-Kearney matchup. It would be the third time in the past four years that the Lions had played for the Tournament Championship.