EMPORIA STATE MEN TO TAKE ON DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Game #16
Emporia State Hornets (8-7, 1-5 MIAA)
at #17 Central Missouri Mules (13-2, 4-2 MIAA)
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015 • 3:30 p.m. • Warrensburg, Mo. • UCM Multipurpose Building.   
Series Record: UCM leads 68-40 Last Meeting: at ESU 95, UCM 77 (Jan. 11, 2014)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (3:10 p.m. pregame) Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Television: None Internet Video:  http://portal.stretchinternet.com/esu
Live Stats  Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Pittsburg State • Jan. 14, 2015 • 7:30 p.m. • Pittsburg, Kan. • John Lance Arena

HIT THE ROAD
Emporia State takes on defending national champion Central Missouri after handing the Mules their worst MIAA loss of last year.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State was outscored 8-4 over the final 4:45 in a 54-50 loss at Mo. Western on Thursday. The Hornets jumped out to a 12-3 lead to start the game and the Griffons answered with a 12-2 run of their own to take a 15-14 lead with 10:53 left in the half.  From that point on there would be five ties and eight lead changes on the night. Emporia had a five point lead at 36-31 with 11:49 left when Cortez Colbert went on a personal 15-5 run.  When he was done Western had a 46-41 lead with 5:49 left in the game. Terrence Moore hit a pair of free throws with 4:45 left and Micah Swank hit a three pointer to tie the score at 46 with 4:29 remaining.  Neither team would score until a three-pointer by the Griffs broke the tie at the 1:48 mark.  Western hit five of six free throws in the final :26.9 to seal the win. Moore led Emporia State with 17 points and was the only Hornet in double figures.

THE COACHES
Shaun Vandiver was 48-52 in his fourth season at Emporia State. A first round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1991 spent ten years as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level. As a player he led Hutchinson CC to the 1988 NJCAA National Championship before earning first-team All-Big 8 honors at Colorado. He is 2-2 against Central Missouri.
Doug Karleskint is 13-2 in his first year at Central Missouri and 103-36 in his fifth year as a head coach. This is his first meeting with Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 8-7 on the season, 1-5 in the MIAA. The Hornets have lost three straight road games since a win at West Texas. They lead the MIAA in three-point field goal percentage defense.  Terrence Moore is ranked seventh in the MIAA in scoring at 16.3 points per game.

ABOUT THE MULES
Central Missouri is 13-2, 4-2 in the MIAA and ranked #17 in the NABC National Poll. They lead the MIAA in field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 109th meeting between the two teams with Central Missouri holding a 68-40 overall advantage. Emporia State leads 26-20 in White Auditorium as the home team has won the last four games in the series.

LAST TIME OUT VS. CENTRAL MO.
Kaleb Wright scored 33 points and pulled down a career high 15 rebounds as the Emporia State men upset #24 Central Missouri 95-77 in White Auditorium.  The teams Hornets went on a 16-5 run to take a 68-57 lead with 9:29 left in the game. The Mules would not get closer than seven points the rest of the night. Wright was joined in double figures by Terrence Moore with 19 points and Gavin Brown with 12 points.  

UP NEXT
The Hornets head to Pittsburg State on Wednesday for the middle game of their five game road trip.  Tip-off from John  Lance Arena in Pittsburg, Kan. is set for approximately 7:30 p.m.

FRIENDLY CONFINES
Emporia State went 13-2 at home last season and has won 132 of their last 173 games (.763) in White Auditorium. Thirty of the 41 losses have been by less than ten points. The have won 11 straight regular season non-conference home games. The Hornets are 354-155 (.695) since 1979 in White Auditorium. The Hornets have had 11 winning home records in the past 12 years in White Auditorium.  

TRENDS
Emporia State is 7-1 when making at least seven three-pointers and just 1-6 when making six or less. The Hornets are 6-0 when they have more free throw attempts than their opponents and just 2-7 when their opponent gets to the line more often.  

WE WANT MOORE
Guard Terrence Moore (Jr./Wichita, Kan.) was an honorable mention All-MIAA pick and member of the  MIAA All-Defensive Team last season. He had 17 points and four steals at Mo. Western. He scored 25 points with six rebounds and four steals against Lindenwood. He had 20 points and a career high seven assists against Lincoln. He scored 16 points at Missouri Southern. He returned to the lineup against McPherson after missing two games with a shoulder injury. He had 17 points and four rebounds before leaving the Northwest Missouri game. He was the MVP of the Pak-A-Sak Classic after recording 22 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals against West Texas A&M. He scored 12 points and had a team high eight rebounds against Eastern New Mexico. He led Emporia State with 20 points at Northwestern Oklahoma, hitting five of six free throws in the final 26 seconds to ice the win. He had 15 points at Newman with eight of them coming in the final two minutes. He led Emporia State with 21 points in the win against Concordia-St. Paul and 24 in the loss to St. Cloud State. He scored a career high 40 points against Southwest Baptist in the first round game. It is the third most points scored by an individual in an MIAA Tournament game and was the first 40 point game by a Hornet since Tim Niles scored 45 against Central Oklahoma in the first game of the 2009-10 season. He had a career high ten rebounds against Ft. Hays State in White Auditorium. He scored 28 points at Washburn and added four steals. He scored 20 points on seven of nine shooting at Ft. Hays State. He had 21 points, six boards, four assists and three steals against Central Oklahoma. He had 19 points with five assists against Central Missouri last year. He had 27 points and seven rebounds against Missouri Southern last season. He had a career high six steals against Newman. He had 17 points in the exhibition win over UMKC and a team high 15 points at Wichita State. He scored 10 points off the bench with a team high three steals at Kansas as a freshman.

HE'S SWANKY
Guard Micah Swank (Jr./Pratt, Kan.) had nine points at Missouri Western. He scored 11 points with four assists against Lincoln. He tied his career high with six rebounds against Sterling. He scored 11 points before fouling out at Missouri Southern, his second straight game in double figures. He had 17 points on six of nine shooting from the field with four three-pointers against McPherson. He had a career high eight assists and scored seven points against Rockhurst. He scored six points with four assists against Northwest Missouri. He had a team high six rebounds to go with six points at Northwestern Oklahoma. He had 12 points and five rebounds against St. Cloud State after posting ten points against Concordia-St. Paul. He pulled down five rebounds against Kansas. He had 11 points and five assists against Neb.-Kearney in White Auditorium last season. He dished a then career high seven assists against Missouri Western last year. He scored 15 points including a nine of nine performance at the free throw line at Lincoln. He passed his career high with 16 first half points and ended with 18 against Southwest Baptist. He scored 11 points with three steals at Alaska. He had seven boards at Oklahoma State.  

PERRY ON MY WAYWARD SON
Guard Perryonte Smith (Sr. /Milwaukee, Wis.) had two steals at Missouri Western. He scored ten points off the bench against Lindenwood. He had three assists and two steals in 13 minutes against Lincoln. He scored five points with two assists at Southwest Baptist. He had eight points and an Emporia State career high six assists against Rockhurst. He scored an Emporia State career high 12 points on three of four shooting, hitting both his three-point attempts, against Eastern New Mexico. He scored ten points with five steal at Newman. He scored four points with two steals at Kansas. He transferred to Emporia State from Newman. He played in all 26 games for the Jets, averaged 7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds per game and had a team high 82 assists on the season. He played in 33 games for at Otero Junior College and averaged 7.6 points, 3.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore. He shot .368 from three-point range at Otero.

TEMAAT MIGHT
Guard Jay Temaat (So./Lenexa, Kan.) averaged 11.7 points per game in non-conference action, but is averaging 2.7 points per game in MIAA play. He scored eight points and matched his career high with five rebounds at Missouri Western. He had 13 points with a three of six performance behind the three point line against Sterling. He was held scoreless for the first time this year at Mo. Southern. He had a career high 21 points on seven of ten shooting from behind the three point line against Rockhurst. It was the most three-pointers made by a Hornet since Tim Niles hit eight against Central Oklahoma on Nov. 16, 2009. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the Pak-A-Sak Classic at West Texas. He had eight points and five rebounds against West Texas after scoring a career high 21 points, including a nine of ten performance at the free throw line against Eastern New Mexico. He scored 13 points and dished three assists at Northwestern Oklahoma. He hit six of eight free throws at Newman. He led all scorers with 16 points off the bench at Kansas. He connected on three of seven three-pointers against the Jayhawks. He scored nine points in less than two minutes in the first half at Neb.-Kearney last season. He scored 12 points, going three of four from the three-point arc and three of three from the free throw line against Pittsburg State. He had 12 points on three of seven shooting from beyond the arc against Bethel. He scored 18 points on six of nine shooting with five three-pointers in 14 minutes against McPherson. He was the leading scorer for the Hornets at Oklahoma State with 12 points in 13 minutes, hitting three of ten three pointers against the Cowboys.

SHARE THE WISDOM
Center McWisdom Badejo (Jr./Dallas, Texas) tied his career high with six rebounds in his first start at Missouri Western. He scored all nine of his points against Sterling in the second half. He matched his career high with ten points against Rockhurst. He had six points in 17 minutes against West Texas A&M. He had four rebounds and two blocked shots in 14 minutes against Eastern New Mexico. He scored six points on three of five shooting from the field at Newman. He pulled five rebounds against St. Cloud State after getting four against Concordia-St. Paul. He had five rebounds at Kansas. He shot 71.8% from the field, going 28 of 39 last year. He had four rebounds at Ft. Hays State. He scored six points on three of three shooting against Central Oklahoma. He had four points on two shots and blocked a shot against Missouri Western. He scored a career high ten points against St. Mary's. He was four of five from the field for eight points in 13 minutes against McPherson. He scored eight points at Wichita State. He is a transfer from Florida A&M. He averaged 1.1 points and 1.3 rebounds for the Rattlers with a season high ten points and six rebounds against Allen.  He was listed as one of the top names in college basketball in 2012-13.
 
WINDY CITY WILDMAN
Forward Terrence Sardin (So./Chicago, Ill.) is shooting 66.7% from the field. He only played five minutes at Missouri Western. He tied his career high with ten points against Lincoln. He was three for three from the field for six points in eight minutes against Sterling. He had a career high eight rebounds at Mo. Southern. He was two of three from the field and had five points against McPherson in 12 minutes. He had four points and a career high seven rebounds at Southwest Baptist. He had six points on three of three shooting from the field against Rockhurst. He scored eight points and was perfect from the field against Northwest Missouri. He had a career high four steals against West Texas A&M.  He pulled five rebounds and blocked two shots against Eastern New Mexico. He had a career high ten points and six rebounds at Northwestern Oklahoma. He had seven points at Newman. He led Emporia State with a game high nine rebounds against Kansas and scored four points. He had a career high four blocked shots against Neb.-Kearney. He had three offensive rebounds against Northeastern State. He got his first career start at Lindenwood last year.   

THE BENTLEY OF BICYCLES
Forward Josh Pedersen (So./Overland Park, Kan.) leads the MIAA in free throw percentage. He is shooting just 20.0% (three of 15) from the field over his last four games. He scored in double figures in four straight games before going scoreless against Sterling. He had 11 points and seven rebounds at Mo. Southern. He had 12 points with seven rebounds against McPherson. He had 11 points at Southwest Baptist and scored ten points and was a perfect six of six from the free throw line against Rockhurst. He had eight points, five rebounds and four assists against Eastern New Mexico. He had career highs of 15 points and six rebounds at Newman. He scored eight points with a career best eight of ten effort at the free throw line against St. Cloud State. He scored nine points with five rebounds at Central Oklahoma last season. He was eight for eight from the free throw line against Pittsburg State. He scored nine points on two of three shooting from the three-point line against Central Missouri last season. He scored a then career high 12 points against Newman and twice tied the score on a pair of free throws in the final three minutes. He had three steals and two assists in his first career start against Southeastern Oklahoma. He had four rebounds at Oklahoma State.

JORDANAIRRE
Guard Tyler Jordan (So./Ballwin, Mo.) had six points and two steals against Lindenwood. He had three steals against Lincoln. He scored a career high 15 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals against Sterling. He scored 11 points at Mo. Southern. He had a career high 11 rebounds at Southwest Baptist and added nine points. He had five boards and four assists against Rockhurst. He had a team high six rebounds against Northwest Missouri. He scored ten points against Eastern New Mexico. He had three assists at Northwestern Oklahoma. He scored nine points against St. Cloud State. Last year he scored ten points with seven rebounds at Ft. Hays State. He had eight points and four assists against Central Oklahoma. He had six rebounds against Pittsburg State in his second career start. He had three assists against Missouri Southern last year. He scored 11 points on four of five shooting with three assists at Northwest Missouri. He dished a career high seven assists and had five rebounds against McPherson. He had seven points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals at Oklahoma State.

TAYLOR MADE
Guard Jevon Taylor (So./Denver, Colo.) scored just three points at Missouri Western and did not take a shot against Lindenwood. He had reached double figures in seven of the previous eight games and was averaging 14.3 points on 57.8% shooting from the field and 57.8% shooting from behind the arc in that time. He scored 13 points and tied his career high with four rebounds against Lincoln. He was six of eight from behind the three point line for 18 points against Sterling. He scored eight points at Mo. Southern to snap a string of five stragiht games in double figures. He was five of eight from beyond the arc against McPherson and ended with 17 points. He had a team high 14 points at Southwest Baptist and was nine of nine from the free throw line. He scored 17 points and was five of eight from the three-point line against Rockhurst. He had 13 points on five of seven shooting against Northwest Missouri. He was four of five from the field and four of four from the free throw line for 14 points against West Texas A&M. He scored 14 points and was five of eight from the field at Newman. He scored 11 points off the bench against St. Cloud State after starting the season with eight points against Concordia-St. Paul. He scored 19 points with four made three-pointers in his first career start at Lincoln last year. He scored a then career high 20 points on six of seven shooting from the field at Northwest Missouri. He was five of seven from behind the three-point line for 15 points against Southeastern Oklahoma. He scored 12 points against Mary and had ten points and four rebounds at Alaska. He had 15 points on six of seven shooting against Bethel.
 
GALE FORCE
Forward Spenser Gales (Jr. /Wichita, Kan.) tied his career high with six points and pulled five rebounds at Missouri Western. He matched his career high with six rebounds against Sterling. He scored five points in six minutes at Mo. Southern. He scored six points in 17 minutes against McPherson. He had played just eight minutes at Southwest Baptist. He scored five points in 11 minutes against Rockhurst. He returned to action against Northwest Missouri  after missing five games with an ankle injury. He had four points and a team high six rebounds against Concordia-St. Paul before injuring his ankle. He scored six points at Kansas. He transferred to Emporia State from Coffeyville CC after starting his career at Houston Baptist. He played in 31 games for the Ravens, averaging 5.4 points and 4.0 boards per game. As a freshman at Houston Baptist he played in 15 games averaging 2.0 points and 3.0 rebounds a game. He was a four-year letterwinner at Wichita Northwest HS. He averaged 15 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks per game to earn all-state second-team and all-city honorable mention honors. He was member of the National Honor Society all four years and was among the top 10 percent in his class all four years.

MR. HARRIS
Forward Michael Harris (Jr./Conway Springs, Kan.) sat out the last year and a half with back issues before returning to action against McPherson. He scored two points with three rebounds in six minutes against Sterling. He did not score in eight minutes at Mo. Southern after scoring seven points with three rebounds in his debut against McPherson. He pulled a defensive rebound and hit a free throw with 10 seconds left to help ice the win over Washburn in 2012-13 He tied his career high with 11 points and had two blocks at Northwest Missouri. He scored a career high 11 points on five of seven shooting in 13 minutes against Southwestern. He redshirted his first year at Emporia State in 2011-12. He earned second-team all-state honors from the KBCA for Conway Springs HS.

A-MAYES-ING
Forward Nick Mayes (Jr. /Laramie, Wyo.) had three points against Sterling. He scored a career high five points against McPherson. He had three rebounds in seven minutes against Eastern New Mexico. He played 12 minutes in the win over Northwestern Oklahoma. He earned his first career start against Lincoln last year and pulled two rebounds. He scored two points and pulled three rebounds against Bethel. He was two of two from the line at Kansas last season. He saw action in five games in 2011-12. He played a season high 11 minutes at Pittsburg State on Feb. 15, 2012 and pulled down six rebounds.

CAPTAIN MORGAN
Forward Sam Morgan (Fr. /White City, Kan.) hit a three-pointer and had an assist against Sterling. He saw his first action of the season against Eastern New Mexico. He earned third-team All-State honors in Class 3A from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.  He is the younger brother of former Hornet Mark Morgan.

SLAYMAKER COURT
The court at William L. White Auditorium was formally named Ron Slaymaker Court at half-time of the Hornets win over Washburn on Feb. 28, 2014 after the City of Emporia approved a proclamation at their Feb. 20 city commission meeting.

HORNETS RANK 22ND IN NATION IN ATTENDANCE
The Emporia State men's basketball team continued a string of 12 straight years ranking in the top 25 in attendance among the nearly 300 NCAA Division II basketball playing schools. The Hornets drew an average of 1,549 fans to their 15 home games at Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium during the 2013-14 season to rank 22nd nationally. Emporia State outdrew 94 NCAA Division I schools during the 2013-14 school year, including two that made the NCAA Tournament and three that participated in the NIT Postseason Tournament. As a conference the MIAA drew 262,573 fans to the 199 games to lead all Division II conference in average attendance at 1,319 fans per game. The MIAA's total attendance was better than seven NCAA Division I conferences.

IN THE RAFTERS
On February 22, 2014 All-American Dale Cushinberry (1966-69) joined the five Hornets who have had their jersey's retired to the wall of White Auditorium. He was an All-American for Emporia State and became the first Hornet with 1,000 points and 700 rebounds.
•Wilbur Reeser (1944-48) - Reeser was named an NAIB All-American and was the Hornets leading scorer as the won a conference championship in 1948.
•Ron Slaymaker (Player 1954-60, Coach 1970-98) - As a player Slaymaker was named All-Conference and All-American during the 1957-58 season. As a coach he won an ESU leading 464 games from 1970-98.
•Jim Fraley (1956-60) - Fraley was the school's all-time leading scorer (1,509) until Brian Robinson broke his record in 1985. He was named Second-team NAIA All-American.
•Doug Glaysher (1960-64) - Glaysher was named an All-American after leading the Hornets to the NAIA National Semi-finals in 1964. He graduated as the second leading scorer in ESU history.
•Brian Robinson (1984-86) - Robinson was named a first team All-American in both his junior and senior season. He is the ESU all-time leading scorer with 2,533 career points.