EMPORIA STATE MEN TRAVEL TO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

Game #15
Emporia State Hornets (7-7, 3-2 MIAA)
at Central Oklahoma Bronchos (9-5, 4-2 MIAA)
Series Record: UCO leads 17-12 Last Meeting: at ESU 80, UCO 70 (Feb. 17, 2016)
Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017 • 7:30 p.m. • Edmond, Okla. • Hamilton Fieldhouse (3,200)
Radio: KFFX 104.9FM  Internet Audio: kvoe.com
Television: None Internet Video: portal.stretchinternet.com/esu
Live Stats Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next: at Northeastern State • Jan. 14, 2017 • 3:30 p.m. • Tahlequah, Okla. • NSU Events Center (3,200)
 
INTO OKLAHOMA
Emporia State travels to Edmond, Okla. to take on Central Oklahoma. The Hornets and Bronchos are part of a group of five teams with two losses in MIAA play.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Brandon Hall hit a buzzer beater from just across half court to give Emporia State a 76-75 win over Washburn in the Turnpike Tussle. The Ichabods jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the game, but the Hornets would use a 26-4 run to take a 35-15 lead with 7:49 left in the half. Emporia State hit eight of ten three pointers during the run. The Hornets led by as many as 21 points before the Ichabods came back to take a four point lead late. Washburn led 73-71 with 19.8 seconds left when Hall hit two free throws to tie the score. Randall Smith hit a lay-up to give Washburn a 75-73 lead with 3.7 seconds left when Hall took the inbounds pass and got to half court before launching his game winner.  Hall led five Hornets in double figures with 21 points and six assists. He was joined in double figures by Jevon Taylor with 13 points while Tyler Jordan, Stephaun Limuel and Garin Vandiver all scored ten points for the Hornets.
 
THE COACHES
Shaun Vandiver is 72-84 in his sixth 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 3-6 against Central Oklahoma.
Tom Hankins is 25-19 in his second season at Central Oklahoma. He is 1-1 against Emporia State.
 
ABOUT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 7-7 overall and 3-2 in the MIAA. They have three straight and four of their last five games The Hornets are ranked second in the MIAA in offensive rebounds. Brandon Hall averages 15.7 points per game to rank ninth in the MIAA and dishes 4.4 assists per game to rank fifth in the league. Josh Pedersen is third in the MIAA in free throw percentage. Seven Hornets have hit at least ten three-pointers on the season.
 
ABOUT THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma is 9-5 on the season and 4-2 in the MIAA. The Bronchos are 6-3 at home this year.  Josh Holliday is averaging a team best 14.6 points per game.  Corbin Byford is averaging 11.2 points and a team best 7.0 rebounds per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 30th meeting between the two teams with Central Oklahoma holding a 17-12 lead. The home team has won six of the last seven meetings.
 
LAST TIME AGAINST CENTRAL OKLA.
Kevin Allen had career highs of 27 points and 14 rebounds as Emporia State defeated Central Oklahoma 80-70 in White Auditorium.  The Hornets scored the first six points and never trailed. Allen was joined in double figures by Terrence Moore with 14 points and Charles McKinney with ten points. As a team the Hornets shot 56.4% from the field.
 
UP NEXT
The Hornets travel to Tahlequah, Okla. on Saturday to take on Northeastern State.  Tip-off from the NSU Events Center is set for 3:30 p.m.
 
FRIENDLY CONFINES
Emporia State has won 148 of their last 198 games (.747) in White Auditorium. Thirty-three of the 50 losses have been by less than ten points. They have won 14 straight regular season non-conference home games. The Hornets are 370-163 (.694) since 1979 in White Auditorium. The Hornets have had 12 winning home records in the past 13 years in White Auditorium. 
 
KID IN THE HALL
Guard Brandon Hall (So./Arlington, Texas) is fifth in the MIAA in assists, sixth in assist to turnover ratio, ninth in scoring and 14th in field goal percentage. He had 21 points, six assists and hit a game winning three-pointer at the buzzer against Washburn. He scored 16 points with seven rebounds and six assists against Kansas Wesleyan. He had 17 points and seven rebounds against Lindenwood. He scored 20 points with five assists against Lincoln. He had 18 points and five assists at Ft. Hays State. He had 12 points, eight rebounds and eight assists against Central Christian. He scored 18 points with nine rebounds, and seven assists against Missouri S&T. He had 17 points with five rebounds at Drury. He had 15 points and four assists against Rockhurst. He had 18 points at Sioux Falls.  He matched his career high with 23 points against Southwest Minnesota State. It is the second time he has reached 23 points against the Mustangs. He had nine points and six assists at Kansas with no turnovers in exhibition play.
As a redshirt freshman last year he scored 15 points off the bench against Missouri Southern. He scored ten points and had four assists at Washburn. He scored six points and was four of five from the free throw line in his first start against Northwest Missouri. He scored 13 points at Central Oklahoma. He had 19 points and 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 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 is ranked eighth in freshman scoring at Emporia State with 234 points.
He was a first-team All-District performer at Bowie HS before redshirting for the Hornets.
 
THE BENTLEY OF BICYCLES
Forward Josh Pedersen (Sr./Overland Park, Kan.) is third in the MIAA in free throw percentage and 12th in offensive rebounds. He scored 13 points with five rebounds against Kansas Wesleyan. He had 16 points on six of nine shooting with four rebounds against Lindenwood. He scored 13 points with a career high three made three-pointers at Ft. Hays State. He scored ten points with five boards at Neb.-Kearney. He missed the Central Christian game with an ankle injury. He had 11 points and six rebounds against Missouri S&T. He scored 11 points with five boards at Drury. He scored nine points with four rebounds at Northwestern Oklahoma. He had eight points and four offensive rebounds against Kansas Christian. Pedersen had seven points against Rockhurst. He scored seven points with seven rebounds against Southwest Minnesota. He had six points and five rebounds before fouling out at Sioux Falls. He had five points and three rebounds at Kansas in exhibition play.
Last year he scored 15 points with three rebounds against Washburn. 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 made 21 straight free throws from the Lindenwood game on Jan. 5, 2015 through the final game of the year against Pittsburg State as a sophomore. He had 11 points and four rebounds at Neb.-Kearney. He had a career high nine rebounds against Washburn. He had 11 points and seven rebounds at Mo. Southern. 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. He scored a then career high 12 points against Newman.
 
JORDANAIRRE
Guard Tyler Jordan (Sr./Ballwin, Mo.) had ten points and was three of four from behind the arc against Wasbhurn. He scored 13 points and was six of eight from the free throw line against Lincoln. He had five assists at Ft. Hays State. He had nine rebounds, four assists and three steals against Neb.-Kearney. He had 13 points on four of six shooting against Central Christian. He scored 12 points against Missouri S&T. He scored ten points, all in the second half at Northwestern Oklahoma. Jordan had a career high 17 points against Rockhurst with six rebounds. He had four rebounds at Kansas.
He had a season high 13 points on four of seven shooting and added two assists, a block and a steal against Northeastern State last year. He had four points and four rebounds in a then season high 15 minutes against Northwest Missouri.
He had eight points, four rebounds and three assists at Central Oklahoma as a sophomore. He scored a career high 15 points with eight rebounds against Sterling. He had a career high 11 rebounds at Southwest Baptist. He scored ten points against Eastern New Mexico.
As a freshman 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.
 
TEMAAT MIGHT
Guard Jay Temaat (Sr./Lenexa, Kan.) is 15th in the MIAA in three-point field goal percentage despite going just one of seven from beyond the three-point line against Washburn. He hit two of three from behind the arc against Kansas Wesleyan and had ten points on three of five shooting after taking just six shots in the previous three games combined. He was five of nine from behind the arc against Central Christian for 15 points. He scored 16 points off the bench against Missouri S&T with 13 coming after half time. He scored 11 points at Northwestern Oklahoma. He had 16 points and five rebounds against Rockhurst. He scored 16 points on five of seven shooting, including a four of five night from behind the arc at Sioux Falls. He had six points at Kansas in exhibition play.
As a junior he matched his career high with four assists against Pittsburg State. He scored 11 points against Lindenwood. He scored 14 points against Central Missouri. 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 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 as a sophomore. 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 21 points against Eastern New Mexico. 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. 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 three pointers against the Cowboys.
 
MORTON MAGIC
Guard Brian Morton (Jr./Lansing, Mich.) scored just four points in eight minutes against Washburn. He was zero for nine from the field but had six rebounds against Kansas Wesleyan. He pulled six rebounds and scored five points against Lindenwood. He had eight points and six rebounds at Ft. Hays State. He scored 15 points at Neb.-Kearney. He had nine points and a career high ten rebounds against Central Christian. He scored 22 points with seven rebounds and three steals against Missouri S&T. He was held to just four points on one of ten shooting at Drury. He had a team high 24 points at Northwestern Oklahoma to go with six assists and three steals. He had 16 points, eight assists and three steals against Kansas Christian. Morton had six points and three assists against Rockhurst. He had 12 points against Southwest Minnesota before fouling out. He scored 18 points in his Hornet regular season debut at Sioux Falls. He was four of four from the free throw line at Kansas.
He started 25 of 32 games for the Lansing CC Stars last season and averaged 8.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He is a graduate of Lansing Eastern HS.
 
TAYLOR MADE
Guard Jevon Taylor (Sr./Denver, Colo.) scored 13 points with only one three-pointer against Washburn. He was two of three from the three-point line at Ft. Hays State. He scored nine points a 9:32 stretch in the second half at Neb.-Kearney. He scored seven points against Missouri S&T. He had eight points at Drury. He scored nine points at Northwestern Oklahoma. He had 14 points, three assists, three steals and shot four for eight from the arc against Kansas Christian. He scored eight points against Sioux Falls, but is zero for seven from behind the three-point line on the year. He scored five points at Kansas.
Last year he scored ten points in 13 minutes against Northeastern State. He hit three of four three-pointers for 11 points against Pittsburg State. He scored a season high 12 points and was three of nine from the three point line against Lincoln. In the first nine games of the regular season he was just one of 11 from the three-point line.  After that he went 27 of 62 (.435) from behind the arc.
He was seventh in the MIAA in three-point percentage and eighth in the league in made three-pointers as a sophomore. He had 12 points and a career high six rebounds against Neb.-Kearney. He matched his career high with 20 points on five of six shooting from the arc at Central Missouri. He was six of eight on three-pointers 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. 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 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. 
 
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
Forward Garin Vandiver (Jr./Emporia, Kan.) is 11th in the MIAA in offensive rebounds. He had ten points and eight boards against Wasbhurn on three of four shooting from the field. He scored ten points on four of six shooting against Kansas Wesleyan. He had nine points and a career high eight rebounds against Lincoln. He had 13 points with three treys and five rebounds at Ft. Hays State. He scored nine points at Neb.-Kearney. He had ten points against Central Christian. He had seven points and five rebounds at Drury. He pulled six boards at Northwestern Oklahoma. He had ten points and had four rebounds against Southwest Minnesota. He had 11 points in ten minutes at Sioux Falls. He scored nine points with three rebounds at Kansas.
He averaged 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game for Neosho CC in 27 games last year. He is the son of Emporia State coach Shaun Vandiver. He is a graduate of Emporia HS.
 
BETTER WITH LIMES
Forward Stephaun Limuel (Jr./Rosharon, Texas) is 15th in the MIAA in rebounding.  He was three for three from the field with two three-pointers and finished with 10 points and seven rebounds against Wasbhurn. He matched his career highs with 16 points and nine rebounds against Kansas Wesleyan. He had three blocked shots at Ft. Hays State. He had six points and six rebounds at Northwestern Oklahoma. He had 16 points, eight rebounds and shot six for eight from the field against Kansas Christian. He had 13 points against Rockhurst with nine rebounds. He had ten points and seven rebounds against Southwest Minnesota. He scored 13 points and pulled eight boards at Sioux Falls. He had three rebounds at Kansas.
He started 21 of 28 games for Jacksonville College last year and averaged 10.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He shot .584 from the field for the Jags. He is a graduate of Angleton HS.
 
WINDY CITY WILDMAN
Forward Terrence Sardin (Sr./Chicago, Ill.) had seven rebounds against Kansas Wesleyan. He scored six points with five rebounds and two blocks off the bench against Missouri S&T. He was two of three from the field in just seven minutes against Drury. He had eight points in nine minutes against Kansas Christian. He went two of two against both Southwest Minnesota and Sioux Falls.
As a junior last year he pulled four rebounds in eight minutes against Northeastern State. 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 as a sophomore. 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 seven rebounds at Southwest Baptist. He had a career high four steals against West Texas A&M.  He had 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.
 
BIG FISH
Forward Bradley Fisher (Jr./Chorley, England) is in his second year at Emporia State. He has seven starts this year. He scored two points at Ft. Hays State. He had five points against Kansas Christian.
Last year he started ten of 13 games he played in. He had two rebounds against Northeastern State. He 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 is a 7-0 transfer from Montana State. He played in 11 games with one start for the Bobcats.
 
FRESH
Forward Jawan Emery (Jr./Olathe, Kan.) had seven points on three of four shooting at Ft. Hays State. He scored nine points with two rebounds in his first start against Central Christian. He had six points and seven rebounds against Kansas Christian. He scored four points in five minutes against Southwest Minnesota and had two points at Sioux Falls. He had five points at Kansas. He averaged 4.5 points in 37 games with seven starts for Hutchinson CC last season. A Blue Valley North HS graduate he helped the Blue Dragons to the NJCAA Championship game last year.
 
HODGE PODGE
Guard Danny Hodge (Fr.-RS/Spring Hill, Kan.) had ten points against Kansas Christian in his first career start. He red-shirted at Emporia State last season after graduating from Spring Hill HS.
 
MR. VERSATILITY
Guard Jaylen Lowe (Jr./Owasso, Okla.) has decided to transfer from Emporia Sate. He averaged 2.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 9.5 minutes while playing in four games for the Hornets. He had four points and three assists in a season high 16 minutes against Kansas Wesleyan. He scored five points and had three rebounds against Lindenwood. He made his debut on the hardwood against Lincoln after playing football for Emporia State.  
He averaged 13.6 points and 3.8 assists on the basketball court for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M last season.
 
NEWBIES
Duncan Fort (Fr./Osage City, Kan.) and Jack Dale (Fr./Tonganoxie, Kan.) will all be redshirting for Emporia State in the 2016-17 season.
 
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.
 
HORNETS RANK IN NATION IN ATTENDANCE
The Emporia State men's basketball team continued a string of 14 straight years ranking in the top 25 in attendance among the over 300 NCAA Division II basketball playing schools. The Hornets averaged 1,586 fans to 13 home games and were ranked 17th nationally. Emporia State outdrew 97 NCAA Division I schools during the 2015-16 school year, including two that made the NCAA Tournament and three that participated in the NIT Postseason Tournament.
The Hornets were among six MIAA teams in the top 25 nationally. As a conference the MIAA drew 286,670 fans to the 202 games to lead all Division II conference in average attendance at 1,419 fans per game. The MIAA's total attendance was better than ten NCAA Division I conferences. All three of the conferences in the NCAA Central Region ranked in the top ten of the Division II conferences in average attendance with 12 regional teams ranked in the top 25.
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.