EMPORIA STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL TO OPEN MIAA PLAY AT NEB.-KEARNEY

Games #6-7
Emporia State Hornets (2-3, 0-0 MIAA)
at Neb.-Kearney Lopers (3-2, 0-0 MIAA)
Series Record: UNK leads 20-16 Last Meeting: at UNK 69, ESU 63 (Feb. 19, 2015)
Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015 • 7:30 p.m. • Kearney, Neb. • Health & Sports Center (5,600)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (5:10 p.m.) Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Television: None Internet Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/esu/
Live Stats  Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Ft. Hays State • Dec. 5, 2015 • 4:00 p.m. • Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum (6,814)

MIAA OPENER  
Emporia State begins their 25th season of MIAA play on the road at Neb.-Kearney before going to Ft. Hays State. The Hornets are 11-13 all-time in MIAA openers and have won seven of their last 13 openers.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State fell to West Texas A&M 84-68 on the second day of the Pak-A-Sak Classic. The Buffaloes had a 14-2 run at the beginning of the game. A three minute dry spell for West Texas A&M allowed Emporia State to stay in the game and a 9-0 run allowed the Hornets to take their only lead of the game at 28-26 on two Josh Pederson free throws with 3:07 left in the half. The Buffaloes then ended the half on a 13-2 run to take a 39-32 lead into the locker rooms. Brandon Hall led Emporia State with 18 points to lead four Hornets in double figures. Josh Pederson scored 15 points, Charles McKinney had 13 points and Jay Temaat scored 12 points.

THE COACHES
Shaun Vandiver is 54-64 in his fifth season at Emporia State. A first round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1991 he 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 Neb.-Kearney and .
Kevin Lofton is 159-127 in his 11th year at Neb.-Kearney, but his first as the sole head coach. He is 3-2 against Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornets are 2-3 on the year. Brandon Hall is leading the Hornets in scoring at 16.4 points per game off the bench.  Terrence Moore and Charles McKinney join him in double figures at 14.0 and 12.5 points per game.

ABOUT THE LOPERS
Neb.-Kearney is 3-2 on the season and have won four straight. Last year's MIAA Player of the Year Connor Beranke is their leading scorer at 25.4 points and ten rebounds per game.

THE SERIES    
This will be the 37th meeting with Nebraska-Kearney holding a 20-16 lead. The home team has won six straight in the series.  

LAST TIME VS. UNK    
Emporia State was outscored 24-6 from the free throw line in a 69-63 loss at Neb.-Kearney.  The Hornets led 50-49 with 10:17 left and the Lopers scored 12 of their final 20 points from the line. Beranek hit two free throws with 4:48 left to give the Lopers a 60-53 lead when Jay Temaat and Micah Swank hit back to back three-pointers to pull the Hornets within a point at 60-59 with 3:10 remaining.  Ethan Brozek scored an old-fashioned three-point play to give the Lopers a 65-61 lead. Temaat had a chance to cut the lead to two but missed both free throws with 52.1 seconds left and Beranek hit four of four from the line in the final 19.9 seconds to ice the win.

UP NEXT
The Hornets travel to Ft. Hays State on Saturday to take on the Tigers.  Tip-off from Gross Memorial Coliseum is set for 4:00 p.m.

FRIENDLY CONFINES
Emporia State has won 136 of their last 180 games (.756) in White Auditorium. Thirty-one of the 44 losses have been by less than ten points. The have won 11 straight regular season non-conference home games. The Hornets are 358-157 (.695) since 1979 in White Auditorium. The Hornets have had 11 winning home records in the past 12 years in White Auditorium.  

WE WANT MOORE
Guard Terrence Moore (Sr./Wichita, Kan.) was held scoreless for just the second time in his career and the first time since his freshman year when he went zero for five against West Texas A&M. He had 11 points against Eastern New Mexico. He had 16 points, seven assists and six steals against Northwestern Oklahoma. He had nine points, five rebounds and two assists in the exhibition game at Wichita State. He had 22 points on seven of ten shooting from the field, including a four of six effort from behind the three point line against Southwest Minnesota State. He scored 21 points with six rebounds, three assists and two steals against Sioux Falls.
He was a third-team All-MIAA selection last year after leading the MIAA in steals and ranking fourth in the league in scoring. His 2.35 steals per game ranked 22nd in the nation. He scored 24 points in the season finale against Pittsburg State. He had 21 points at Washburn. He had 13 points and five assists against Central Okla. He had 17 points at Ft. Hays State with three steals. He had 27 points and five rebounds against Neb.-Kearney. He tied his career high with six steals against Ft. Hays State. He had 11 points and nine rebounds at Central Oklahoma. He was named the MIAA Player of the Week after averaging 26.7 points from Jan. 5-10 when he had 38 points at Central Missouri and 17 points with 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 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 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 led Emporia State with 21 points against Concordia-St. Paul and 24 in against St. Cloud State.
He was an honorable mention All-MIAA pick and member of the  MIAA All-Defensive Team as a sophomore. He scored a career high 40 points against Southwest Baptist in the 2014 MIAA Tournament first round game. It is the third most points scored by an individual in an MIAA Tournament game. He had a career high ten rebounds against Ft. Hays State in White Auditorium to go with 12 points for his first career double double. 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. He had 27 points and seven rebounds against Missouri Southern. 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 has 1,231 points in 88 career games to rank 15th at Emporia State. He is the MIAA's active leader in steals with 181 and ranks fifth in NCAA Division II among active players and is also the conference's active scoring leader and ranked 20th in Division II.

HE'S SWANKY
Guard Micah Swank (Sr./Pratt, Kan.) was the only Hornet to start every game last year and has started 40 straight games for the Hornets. He scored eight points with six rebounds, three assists and two steals at West Texas A&M. He had five assists against Eastern New Mexico. He had 14 points on four of six shooting with three made three-pointers against Northwestern Oklahoma. He scored two points with four rebounds against Wichita State after scoring five points in each of his first two games this season.
He was 13th in the MIAA in assists last season and 15th in assist to turnover ratio. He averaged 11.3 points and 4.2 rebounds over his last 12 games of the year. He had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists against Northeastern State. He had ten points and five rebounds at Ft. Hays State. He scored 12 points against Washburn. He tied his career high with six rebounds and added 11 points against Ft. Hays State. He scored a career high 19 points at Northeastern State and hit five of ten three-pointers. He scored 11 points at Missouri Southern. He had a career high eight assists against Rockhurst. He had 12 points and five rebounds against St. Cloud State after posting ten points against Concordia-St. Paul.
As a sophomore he had 11 points and five assists against Neb.-Kearney in White Auditorium. He scored 15 points including a nine of nine performance at the free throw line at Lincoln. He had 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.
He has scored 524 points in 88 career games.  

MCKINNEY
Forward Charles McKinney (Sr./Evanston, Ill.) had 13 points with three steals at West Texas A&M. He had a career high 19 points with eight rebounds, four blocks and three steals against Eastern New Mexico. He scored 11 points on five of six shooting from the field, including two alley-oop dunks against Northwestern Oklahoma. He had ten points and a team high three steals at Wichita State. He scored seven points on three of four shooting from the field, but was one of seven from the free throw line against Sioux Falls.  He did not play against Southwest Minnesota with an injury. He had six points and four rebounds at Kansas State.
He averaged 4.5 points and 1.0 steals in 89 games with 49 starts for DePaul.  
 
THE BENTLEY OF BICYCLES
Forward Josh Pedersen (Jr./Overland Park, Kan.) was named to the All-Tournament team at the Pak-A-Sak Classic after scoring 15 points with four rebounds against West Texas A&M. Hescored seven points against both Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State.  He is shooting .667 from the field on the year and has hit all three three-pointers he has taken.  He had seven rebounds against Sioux Falls.
He made 21 straight free throws from the Lindenwood game on Jan. 5, 2015 through the final game of the year against Pittsburg State. He had 11 points and four rebounds at Neb.-Kearney. He had a career high nine rebounds against Washburn, with eight of them offensive. 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.
As a freshman he scored nine points with five rebounds at Central Oklahoma. He was eight for eight from the free throw line against Pittsburg State as a freshman. He scored nine points on two of three shooting from the three-point line against Central Missouri. 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.

G'DAY
Forward Josh Oswald (Jr./Melbourne, Australia) did not score at West Texas A&M, the first time this year he failed to reach double figures. He had 14 points and seven rebounds against Eastern New Mexico. He scored ten points with five rebounds against Northwestern Oklahoma. He had a team high 16 points on six of ten shooting to go with four rebounds and two steals against Wichita State in exhibition action. He scored ten points with seven rebounds against Southwest Minnesota.  He had a double double in his first game as a Hornet with 11 points and ten rebounds against Sioux Falls.
He played in 43 games with 19 starts for Miami (Ohio) over the last two years.  The 6-7 forward averaged 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in his two years at Miami.
 
TEMAAT MIGHT
Guard Jay Temaat (Jr./Lenexa, Kan.) is averaging 9.4 points per game off the bench this season. He scored 12 points with four rebounds and three assists at West Texas A&M. He had 14 points on five of seven shooting with a career high four assists against Northwestern Oklahoma. He started and had seven points against Wichita State in the exhibition game. He had 11 points and was three of seven from behind the arc against Sioux Falls.
He was 13th in the MIAA in made three-pointers last season. He was four of six from the three-point line for 12 points at Neb.-Kearney. He had 20 points on five of seven shooting against Central Oklahoma. He scored 14 points, including the game winner at the buzzer to go with a career high seven rebounds against Washburn. He had a career high 21 points on seven of ten shooting from behind the three point line against Rockhurst. He had eight points and five rebounds against West Texas after scoring a career high 21 points against Eastern New Mexico. He scored 13 points and dished three assists at Northwestern Oklahoma. He led all scorers with 16 points off the bench at Kansas.
As a freshman 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 in White Auditorium. 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.
 
KID IN THE HALL
Guard Brandon Hall (Fr.-RS/Arlington, Texas) is averaging 16.4 points per game on .571 shooting from the field after five games. He scored 18 points on nine of 13 shooting at West Texas A&M.  He had 15 points and hit nine of 11 free throws against Eastern New Mexico. He had nine points and four rebounds against Northwestern Oklahoma. He was eight of 13 from the field, two of three from behind the arc, for 23 points against Southwest Minnesota.  He scored 17 points, all in the second half, with two assists in his Hornet debut against Sioux Falls.
He was a first-team All-District performer for Bowie HS before redshirting at Emporia State last season.
 
WINDY CITY WILDMAN
Forward Terrence Sardin (Jr./Chicago, Ill.) had eight points and three rebounds in ten minutes off the bench against Eastern New Mexico. He got the start in the exhibition game at Wichita State and scored six points on three of four shooting from the field with a blocked shot.
He was ranked 13th in the MIAA in blocked shots last year. He had three rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes at Central Oklahoma. He pulled six rebounds at Pittsburg State. He tied his career high with ten points against Lincoln. He had a career high eight rebounds at Mo. Southern. He had four points and a then career high seven rebounds at Southwest Baptist. 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 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 as a freshman.
    
TAYLOR MADE
Guard Jevon Taylor (Jr./Denver, Colo.) is just one for 12 on the season and has not scored in the last three games. He went one for six from the field in his first start against Southwest Minnesota State and scored five points. He had six points and was four of four from the line at Kansas State.
He was seventh in the MIAA in three-point percentage and eighth in the league in made three-pointers last season. He scored 11 points, including back to back three-pointers that gave Emporia State the lead in the first half at UNK. He had 11 points at Ft. Hays State. He had 12 points and a career high six rebounds against Neb.-Kearney. He had a team high 13 points at Pittsburg State. He matched his career high with 20 points on five of six shooting from the arc at Central Missouri. He was six of eight from behind the three point line for 18 points against Sterling. He was five of eight from beyond the arc against McPherson for 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 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.
He scored 19 points with four made three-pointers in his first career start at Lincoln as a freshman. 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.  

JORDANAIRRE
Guard Tyler Jordan (Jr./Ballwin, Mo.) had eight points, four rebounds and three assists at Central Oklahoma last season. He scored a career high 15 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals against Sterling. He scored 11 points at Missouri Southern. He had a career high 11 rebounds at Southwest Baptist and added nine points. He had a team high six rebounds against Northwest Missouri. He scored ten points against Eastern New Mexico.
Last year he scored ten points with seven rebounds at Ft. Hays State. 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 in the exhibition game at Oklahoma State as a freshman.

ALLENTOWN
Forward Kevin Allen (Sr./Ecorse, Mich.) led Emporia State with seven points and seven rebounds at Kansas State. He has not played this year and with an ankle injury.  
He played in 21 games at Boise State last year with three starts.  He averaged 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game as a sophomore for Pratt CC as they advanced to the NJCAA Tournament.
 
BIG FISH
Forward Bradley Fisher (So./Chorley, England) is a 7-0 transfer from Montana State. He had three rebounds in nine minutes against Northwestern Oklahoma. He has started four of five games but has only played a total of 28 minutes. He played in 11 games with one start for the Bobcats.
 
NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE
Guard Adrian Deere (Fr.-RS/Chicago, Ill.) made his Emporia State debut against Eastern New Mexico after redshirting last season. He averaged 17.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.1 assists per game at Warren Township HS as a senior.
 
CAPTAIN MORGAN
Forward Sam Morgan (So./White City, Kan.) made his season debut against West Texas A&M and scored two points with two rebounds in 21 minutes. He scored three points with three rebounds at Washburn last season.  He had a rebound and an assist at Neb.-Kearney. 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.

HORNETS RANK 15TH IN NATION IN ATTENDANCE
The Emporia State men's basketball team continued a string of 13 straight years ranking in the top 25 in attendance among the over 300 NCAA Division II basketball playing schools. The Hornets drew an average of 1,659 fans to their 12 home games at Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium during the 2014-15 season to rank 15th nationally. Emporia State outdrew 110 NCAA Division I schools during the 2014-15 school year, including two that made the NCAA Tournament and two that participated in the NIT Postseason Tournament. The Hornets were among eight MIAA teams in the top 25 nationally. As a conference the MIAA drew 293,630 fans to the 194 games to lead all Division II conference in average attendance at 1,514 fans per game. The MIAA's total attendance was better than ten NCAA Division I conferences.

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.

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.