Friday, December 7, 2018

Missouri Southern men to play host to Northeastern State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The 19th-ranked Missouri Southern Men's Basketball Team will continue its six-game home stand this Saturday when the Lions play host to Northeastern State. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 3:30 pm.

Game Information
Teams: (RV/19) Missouri Southern (8-1, 1-0) vs. Northeastern State (5-3, 0-1)
Date: December 8, 2018
Tip-Off: 3:30 PM
Location: Joplin, Mo
Site: Robert Corn Court/Leggett & Platt Athletic Center (3,240)
Series Record: Southern leads 21-17
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (84-46 overall/at MSSU - 5th year). Mark Downey (217-126 overall/13-23 at NSU - 10th year)





Media Coverage

MSSU Radio: Mike McClure - Play by play - Fox Sports Joplin - 101.3, AM 1560 KXMS 88.7 FM
Internet Audio: http://www.mssulions.com
Live Video: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats:https://mssulions.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mssumensbball

The Series
Southern has won seven out of the last ten meetings between the two schools and hold an overall record of 21-17 against the RiverHawks.
The Lions' 77-69 overtime win at home in 2006 stopped a three-game losing streak to the RiverHawks. Southern had won just three times in Tahlequah, but the Lions picked up a win at Jack Dobbins Fieldhouse in 2012 and in 2014. The Lions are 16-4 at home, 3-13 on the road and 2-0 in a neutral site against the RiverHawks.
NCAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, lead the NCAA in scoring margin, while ranking sixth in scoring, seventh in total assists and defensive rebounds per game, and eighth in assists per game, rebound margin and three point defense. The Lions rank 12th in total rebounds and total three pointers made, while ranking 14th in three point attempts, 16th in both assist to turnover ratio and total rebounds per game, 17th in three pointers per game and 37th in free throw attempts.

NCAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin ranks third in field goal percentage and fifth in field goals made, while ranking eighth in total points and 15th in scoring. Martin ranks 26th in free throw attempts and 28th in free throws made, while ranking 46th in total rebounds. Reggie Tharp ranks 12th in assist to turnover ratio, while ranking 22nd in total steals, 34th in total assists and 47th in steals per game. Elyjah Clark ranks 18th in total three pointers made, 44th in three pointers per game and 47th in minutes.

MIAA Team Stat Leaders
The Lions, as a team, lead the MIAA in assists per game, defensive rebounds per game, field goal percentage, rebound margin, scoring margin, scoring, total assists and total rebounds per game. Southern ranks second in three point attempts, three pointers per game, total three pointers made, offensive rebounds per game and total rebounds. The team ranks third in assist to turnover ratio and field goal defense.

MIAA Individual Stat Leaders
Cam Martin leads the MIAA in double-doubles, field goal percentage, free throw attempts total field goals made and total points. Tharp leads the MIAA in steals per game and total steals, while Clark leads the MIAA in minutes and total three pointers made. 

Preseason No. 1
The Lions were picked number one in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll this season. 

Strength of Schedule
Southern currently is ranked 4th in the Massey Division II College Basketball Ratings. The Lions have the second-best strength of schedule in Division II as far as future opponents remaining, meaning the Lions have the second-toughest schedule in D2. 

Streak Stopper
Coming into the season Elyjah Clark had made a three pointer in 47-straight games, dating back to his freshman season. Clark, however, missed out on a three in the first game of the year, but has made a three in each game since, taking his current streak to eight. 

Cam You Score A Lot?
Cam Martin tied a MSSU single-game record with 49 points at Minnesota State. The mark tied Carl Tyler from 1984. Coincidently, in his second game as a Lion, former guard CJ Carr scored 47 points against the same Minnesota State team two years ago. 

National Ranking
The Lions are receiving votes in the NABC Poll and are ranked 19th in the Media Poll. In the history of the NABC Poll, the Lions have been ranked 56 times, including 23 consecutive weeks. The team has been No. 1 once (in the 2011 season). 

Coach of the Year
Jeff Boschee was named the 2018 MIAA Coach of the Year. Boschee has coached the Lions to a 20-win season for the second time in his four-year career. Last year, the Lions were picked to finish sixth in the preseason coaches poll and the Lions finished the season second overall with two wins over regular-season MIAA Champ Northwest Missouri.

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

Dunk You Very Much
The Lions had nine dunks in the game against Baptist Bible on 11/29. 

Records Abound
The Lions broke or tied four school records in the 137-50 win over Baptist Bible. Southern tied the school record for points in a game (137) and field goal attempts (95), while breaking the records for rebounds (77) and assists (37).

Three's Company
The Lions shattered the previous MSSU school record for three pointers in a game against Randall last year as Southern made 20 three pointers against the Saints. The previous record of 15 was set in 2003 against St. Gregory's. 

Home Sweet Home
Missouri Southern can count on some of the best fan support in Division II. This season, the Lions rank 11th nationally in home attendance, averaging 1,396 fans per game. That number is fourth in the MIAA.

Holy Points Batman
The Lions scored 137 points against Baptist Bible to tie a school record. It was the most points since the scored 110 last year against Randall were the most the team has scored since they scored 113 against Southwest Baptist in 2014.

Super Tuesday
The Lions are 2-0 on Tuesday's this year and a perfect 8-0 in Jeff Boschee's tenure.

Corndogs Jackie
Southern is averaging 95 points per game this season and the Lions have topped the century mark three times, including two of the last three games. 

Overtime's A Charm
For the third-straight time, the Lions and Minnesota State needed overtime to settle the score. The Lions won 100-98 this year and have won two of the three overtime games in the last three years between the two teams.

Records Watch
Sophomore Elyjah Clark had the Missouri Southern single-season record for three pointers as a freshman with 89 and broke that record last year with 110. Clark has 228 career threes, passing Skyler Bowlin for second all-time against Central Oklahoma. He is well over three-quarters to the career record of 265 set by Austin Wright.

Reachin' A Grand
Elyjah Clark went over 1,000 points in his career with 18 points against Minnesota-Crookston in the Puerto Rico Tournament. He currently has 1,067 in his career and is the 21st person in MSSU history to crack the 1,000 point plateau. 

Hard-Workin' Man
Elyjah Clark leads the MIAA in minutes per game.

Elyjah For Three
Clark has the top-two single-season three-point totals in MSSU history and his 228 threes made in his two-plus year career rank second. His career three-point percentage of .425 is second-best all-time, while he also tied the single-game record for three's made with nine. He has the season and career record for three pointers per game, while also holding the MSSU season and career record for consecutive games with a three (47).

Lions On The Radio
The majority of the Lions games this season can be heard on the Missouri Southern Radio Network in Joplin. Southern is partnering with Fox Sports Joplin, the Lions can be heard on 101.3 FM, 101.7 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
The Lions will break for finals, but will be back in action on December 19, stepping out of MIAA play to play host to Upper Iowa at noon.

No comments:

Post a Comment