MSSU men to play host to Northwest Missouri, Missouri Western

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The 14th-ranked Missouri Southern men's basketball team will gear up for a pair of tough MIAA games this week as Southern plays host to No. 1 Northwest Missouri on Thursday and Missouri Western on Saturday. Tip off on Thursday is slated for 7:30 pm and Saturday for 3:30 pm.

Game Information

Teams: #14 Missouri Southern (18-4, 11-2 MIAA) vs. #1 Northwest Missouri (22-1, 12-1 MIAA)/Missouri Western (13-11/9-4)
Date: Feb. 13/15, 2020
Tip-Off: 7:30/3:30 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Robert Corn Court/Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: Northwest leads 33-26, Southern leads MWSU 51-44
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (119-57 overall/at MSSU - 6th year). Ben McCollum (263-76 overall/at NWMO - 11th year); Sundance Wicks (25-29 overall/at MWSU - 2nd year)

The Series

Northwest leads the overall series 33-26, but Southern has won 13 of the last 23 games, including the only defeat the Bearcats had all of 2016-17 when they won a National Championship.

The two teams have split the last six games.Missouri Southern is 18-8 at home against Northwest Missouri, while the Lions are 6-21 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.

Southern leads the series with Western 51-44. The, Lions have won the last 18-of-22 match-ups. Southern is 37-11 at home, but just 13-33 in St. Joseph. Western dominated the series from 1988-1999 when the Griffons won 16-of-21 games. 

The Lions, however, have won 22 of the last 33 games. The 95 games played against Western is the third-most the Lions have played against a single school, behind Pittsburg State (103) and Southwest Baptist (97).

Up Next

After this series, the Lions will go back on the road to play at Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western next week.