SBU BEARCATS (19-5, 10-4 MIAA) at
EMPORIA STATE HORNETS (9-13, 5-10 MIAA)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010 • 7:30 PM
EMPORIA, KS • WHITE AUDITORIUM
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SBU NOTES | ESU NOTES

EMPORIA, Kan. -- The SBU Bearcats are entering the final stretch of the MIAA regular season, as they hit the road with four road games over the final six matchups of the season. The first stop is Emporia, Kansas, where the 'Cats will take on the Emporia State Hornets and shoot for their 20th win. SBU will try to continue to build in their current three-game winning streak, all but six minutes of which has come without preseason All-American Matt Rogers.

Rogers' absence leaves a big void in the middle. He is averaging 21.8 points per game, the second-most in the MIAA and 16th in the country. Rogers is also second on the MIAA rebounding list, with 8.8 boards every game. With 70 blocks on the year, Rogers is fifth nationally (3.6 bpg), and has 40 more blocks than anyone else in the league.

Looking to fill the void are Tomas Brock, SBU's starting point guard, who is third in the MIAA in assists per game (5.2), second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) and is fifth in free throw percentage (85.0%). In essentially five games this year SBU has played without Rogers, Brock has averaged 16.6 points per game including a career high 22 points against Central Missouri on December 2. Kurt Koenig is another player who the Bearcats can count on to step up. He is averaging 12.8 points per game (18th in MIAA), 5.5 rebounds per night (14th in MIAA) and is hitting 44.6% from three-point range.

Tristan Steele has led the Bearcats in scoring in four conference matchups this season, tallying 24 points at UCM, 22 and 23 points in the home-and-home series against Pitt State and 21 versus Washburn. Steele has a team-high 45 three-pointers on the season. Sophomore Ryan Dougherty was named MIAA Player of the Week after scoring a 17 points aginst Pitt State, then following that up with a career high 18 points and 10 rebounds against Truman. Freshman Ivan Cropotov is averaging 11.2 points per game since moving into the starting lineup at Northwest Missouri.

As a team the Bearcats are 11th nationally in scoring (87.5 ppg), 11th in three-pointers per game (9.2) and fifth in free-throw percentage (76.8). SBU also leads the MIAA in scoring and threes made.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
SBU head coach Jeff Guiot is in his sixth season in Bolivar, where he has led the Bearcats to a 126-48 (.724) record. Guiot has a 344-141 record overall, and has yet to suffer a losing season during his fifteen-year career. Guiot has won 20 games ten times, as well as eight conference titles, including three of the last four MIAA regular season championships while at SBU.

David Moe is in his eighth year at Emporia, where he has earned a 141-110 record. SBU owns a 24-15 all-time advantage over the Hornets, and have won the last three meetings.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Things have not gone as expected for the Emporia State Hornets. After being picked to finish third by MIAA coaches at the start of the season, the Hornets are in a fight to earn a berth in the MIAA Tournament next month. Emporia is working to turn things around and gain some momentum, but have lost two straight after picking up wins against Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. One of the bright spots have come in the backcourt, with senior guard Tim Niles averaging 15.0 points a game, 11th-best in the league. Junior Adam Holthaus is tied for 15th in scoring (13.6 ppg) and second in field goal percentage at 60.9%.
        
NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
With five games remaining in the regular season, the Washburn Ichabods (ranked 7th in the MIAA) are working towards punching their ticket to Kansas City for the MIAA Tournament. The Ichabods have stumbled as of late, dropping two of their last three before facing third-ranked Central Missouri this Wednesday. Washburn is the second-best ranked defense in the MIAA, as opponents shoot only 42.1% from the field and are allowed just 64.6 points per game. The Ichabods also come up with 9.2 steals a game, second most in the league. SBU will have to be ready to rebound on the defensive side, as Washburn brings down almost 13 offensive boards a game. Junior DeAndre Washington and sophomore William McNeil lead the 'Bods, averaging 17.6 and 13.8 points a night, respectively, good for 6th and 13th among the league leaders.