EMPORIA STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL TO PLAY NEW YEAR'S EVE GAME WITH ROCKHURST

Game #11
Emporia State Hornets (5-5, 3-2 MIAA)
vs. Rockhurst Hawks (5-3, 1-1 GLVC)
Series Record: ESU leads 45-30 Last Meeting: at ESU 92, Rockhurst 63 (Dec. 6, 2014)
Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015 • 2:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • White Auditorium (5,000)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM (1:40 p.m.) Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Television: None Internet Video: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/esu/
Live Stats Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: vs. Lincoln • Jan. 2, 2016 • 3:30 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • White Auditorium (5,000)

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY  
Emporia State plays their final game of the 2015 calendar year as they take on Rockhusrt in White Auditorium.

LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State used a 7-1 run at the end of the game to post a 70-66 win at Pittsburg State on December 19. The Hornets led 28-24 with 2:56 left in the first half when the Gorillas ended the frame on a 10-2 run and took a 34-30 lead into the break.  Emporia State took a 61-54 lead with 5:49 left in the game only to see Pitt State rally with an 11-2 run to take a 65-63 lead with 2:16 remaining. With the score tied at 66, Terrence Moore put the Hornets ahead for good with a layup with 23 seconds left and Josh Oswald iced the game with a pair of free throws with six seconds left. Oswald scored 19 points with eight rebounds to lead the Hornets.  He was joined in double figures by Moore with 12 and Micah Swank with 11 points.
 
THE COACHES
Shaun Vandiver is 57-66 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 2-0 against Rockhurst.
Drew Diener is 5-3 in his first year at Rockhurst and 173-46 in his seventh year as a head coach. This is his first meeting with Emporia State.

ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornets are 5-5, 3-2 in the MIAA. Terrence Moore is the leading scorer on the season at 14.3 points per game. He is ranked in the top 12 of career scorers at Emporia State and is the MIAA's active steals leader. Joshua Oswald is the leading rebounder for Emporia State at 6.5 boards per game.

ABOUT THE HAWKS
Rockhurst is 5-3 on the season and 1-1 in the GLVC. They are 2-1 against the MIAA this season with a loss at Central Missouri and wins against Washburn and Missouri Southern. Austin LeVan is their leading scorer at 17.5 points per game on .491 shooting from the three-point line. Dominique Washington is averaging 17.0 points per game but has only appeared in three games.

THE SERIES    
Emporia State leads the all-time series 45-30 and have won two straight against Rockhurst.

LAST TIME VS. ROCKHURST    
Jay Temaat went seven of ten from the three-point line for 21 points as Emporia State defeated Rockhurst 92-63 in White Auditorium. The Hornets jumped out to an 11-1 lead in the first 2:37 of action and never trailed in the game.  Temaat and Jevon Taylor combined to go 12 of 18 from behind the arc as Taylor added 17 points.  They were joined in double figures by Josh Pedersen and McWisdom Badejo with ten points each.  

UP NEXT
The Hornets play host to Lincoln on Saturday, January 2 in White Auditorium. Tip-off from Slaymaker Court is set for 3:30 p.m.

FRIENDLY CONFINES
Emporia State has won 136 of their last 181 games (.751) in White Auditorium. Thirty-one of the 45 losses have been by less than ten points. The have won 11 straight regular season non-conference home games. The Hornets are 358-158 (.694) 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.) is fifth in the MIAA in steals, eighth in  assist/turnover ratio, 11th in assists, and 13th in field goal percentage. He scored 12 points with five assists at Pittsburg State. He had 21 points at Missouri Southern. He scored 14 points with six assists against Central Missouri. He had 15 points, four assists and three steals at Ft. Hays State. He scored 11 points at Neb.-Kearney. He 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 against Northwest Missouri. 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. 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 1,304 points in 93 career games to rank 12th at Emporia State. He needs 14 points to tie Doug Glaysher for 11th on the Hornets career scoring list. He is the MIAA's active leader in steals with 189 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.) has started 45 straight games for the Hornets. He is 16th in the MIAA in assists per game. He had five rebounds at Missouri Southern. He scored four points with two assists against Central Missouri. He had five assists at Ft. Hays State. 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 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 544 points in 93 career games.  

CHARLES IN CHARGE
Forward Charles McKinney (Sr./Evanston, Ill.) is sixth in the MIAA in steals. He had ten points and four rebounds at Missouri Southern. He scored 11 points on five of seven shooting from the field to go with five rebounds and five assists against Central Missouri. He had 12 points, three steals, three rebounds and a highlight reel put back dunk at Ft. Hays State. He scored seven points and had four steals at Neb.-Kearney. He 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.  
 
G'DAY
Forward Josh Oswald (Jr./Melbourne, Australia) is ranked 11th in the MIAA in rebounding and tenth in defensive boards. He scored 19 points with eight boards and three assists at Pittsburg State. He had a double double with 11 points and ten boards against Central Missouri. He scored eight points with five rebounds at Ft. Hays State. He had 19 points on seven of 13 shooting at Neb.-Kearney. 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) and averaged 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds over his two years at Miami.
 
THE BENTLEY OF BICYCLES
Forward Josh Pedersen (Jr./Overland Park, Kan.) is shooting .556 from the field and .667 from the three-point line, but does not have enough makes to qualify for the league leaders in either. He scored six points at Pittsburg State. He had four points, four rebounds and two blocks against Central Missouri. He had a career high 23 points on eight of ten shooting from the field including a perfect three of three from beyond the arc at Ft. Hays State. He 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. 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 last season. He had 11 points and four rebounds at Neb.-Kearney. He had a career high nine rebounds against Washburn. 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 against Rockhurst. He had eight points, five rebounds and four assists against Eastern New Mexico. He had 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.

TEMAAT MIGHT
Guard Jay Temaat (Jr./Lenexa, Kan.) is ranked 13th in the MIAA in made three pointers. He had nine points at Missouri Southern. He scored 14 points against Central Missouri. He had nine points and four rebounds at Neb.-Kearney. 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 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 scored 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 12.7 points per game off the bench. He had eight points and six rebounds against Central Missouri. He scored seven points with three rebounds and two steals at Ft. Hays State. He had 19 points and a career high seven assists at Neb.-Kearney. 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.) was two for two from the field at Missouri Southern. He had two points and four fouls in six minutes against Central Missouri. He scored four points and had two blocks at Ft. Hays State. He 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 two for 15 on the season. He scored his first points in six games when he hit his only field goal attempt at Missouri Southern. He went one for six from the field in his first start against Southwest Minnesota 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.  

BIG FISH
Forward Bradley Fisher (So./Chorley, England) pulled three rebounds in four minutes at Pittsburg State. He had two rebounds and a block at Missouri Southern. He scored four points with two blocks against Central Missouri. He scored four points with three rebounds at Neb.-Kearney. He had three rebounds in nine minutes against Northwestern Oklahoma. He has started nine of ten games but is averaging just 7.4 minutes per game.
He is a 7-0 transfer from Montana State. He played in 11 games with one start for the Bobcats.
 
JORDANAIRRE
Guard Tyler Jordan (Jr./Ballwin, Mo.) hit the only three pointer he took against Pittsburg State. He played a season high eight minutes at Missouri Southern and hit one of two shots. He scored his first points of the year at Neb.-Kearney.
He had eight points, four rebounds and three assists at Central Oklahoma last season. He scored a career high 15 points with eight rebounds, and three assists against Sterling. He scored 11 points at Missouri Southern. He had a career high 11 rebounds at Southwest Baptist. 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.) played 12 minutes at Ft. Hays State, but has missed the last three games and eight of ten with an ankle injury. He made his regular season debut at Neb.-Kearney and had two points in eight minutes. He missed the first five regular season games and the exhibition at Wichita State with an ankle injury. He led Emporia State with seven points and seven rebounds at Kansas State. .  
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 as a sophomore for Pratt CC as they advanced to the NJCAA Tourney.
 
NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE
Guard Adrian Deere (Fr.-RS/Chicago, Ill.) scored two points at Ft. Hays State. He 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.

SPENCER'S GIFT
Forward Devin Spencer (Jr./Raytown, Mo.) saw his first action at Missouri Southern after sitting out the last two semesters as part of the intra-conference transfer rule. He scored two points with two rebounds against the Lions. He transferred to Emporia State from Missouri Southern last year at the semester.  He played in 18 games in a year and a half for the Lions.
 
HISTORIC START
For the first time in their 25 years as members of the MIAA, Emporia State opened conference play with two road wins. The win at Neb.-Kearney was the first win in an MIAA opener since an 86-81 win at Northwest Missouri to begin the 2009-10 conference season.  It was just the ninth time in 25 seasons that the Hornets have begun conference play at least 2-0 and the previous eight all had at least one home game in the first two played. It was the first time Emporia State opened conference play 2-0 since going 3-0 against Northwest Missouri, Missouri Western and Neb.-Omaha in White Auditorium to open the 2010-11 MIAA schedule. The best start to MIAA play for the Hornets came in 2006-07 as they won their first seven conference games on the way to a 16-0 start to the season.    

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.