SBU BEARCATS (19-7, 10-6 MIAA) vs
#12 FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS (19-4, 13-3 MIAA)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • 7:30 PM
BOLIVAR, MO • MEYER SPORTS CENTER
LIVE STATS: via Sidearm
RADIO:  KBFL 99.9 FM  (Josh Thompson, play-by-play)
INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com
VIDEO: via B2 networks (B2 networks pay-per-view)

SBU NOTES
   
BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats are hoping the third try is the charm for netting their 20th win of the season, as they host the #12 Fort Hays State Tigers. SBU has hit a bit of a rough patch lately, dropping both games on a two-game road trip to Emporia State and Washburn. SBU stands in third in the MIAA while the Tigers sit in second place, three games ahead of the Bearcats.

All-American Matt Rogers has missed essentially the last five games due to a knee injury. He is averaging 21.8 points per game, the second-most in the MIAA and 16th in the country. Rogers is also tied for second on the MIAA rebounding list, with 8.8 boards every game. With 70 blocks on the year, Rogers is fourth nationally (3.6 bpg), and has 30 more blocks than anyone else in the league.

Filling the void are point guard Tomas Brock, who is third in the MIAA in assists per game (5.0), second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) and is sixth in free throw percentage (85.2%). In the seven games this year the 'Cats have played without Rogers, Brock has averaged 17.2 points per game including a career high 24 points against Emporia last Wednesday. Kurt Koenig has also stepped up, especially on the boards. He is averaging 12.7 points per game (19th in MIAA), 5.6 rebounds per night (14th in MIAA) and has had double-doubles in two of the last three games, against Emporia State and at home against Truman.

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 hit his 50th trey of the year against Washburn, ranking him sixth in the MIAA. Freshman Ivan Cropotov has started the last eight games, averaging 10.9 points over that period, and has hit his career high of 14 points three times.

As a team the Bearcats are 12th nationally in scoring (86.7 ppg), 12th in three-pointers per game (9.0) and eighth in free-throw percentage (76.1). 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 126-50 (.716) record. Guiot has a 344-143 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.

Mark Johnson has been head coach of the Tigers for nine seasons now, compiling a record of 177-79 over his career there. Johnson has led Hays to three NCAA tournament appearances and with one more victory this season, will record his fifth 20-win campaign. The Bearcats lead the all-time series against the Tigers, by a narrow 5-3 margin. A relatively young rival, Fort Hays is a recent addition to the MIAA, making the move from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference before the 2006-07 season.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State took the MIAA by storm, winning their first 11 conference games, including upsets over #1 Central Missouri and SBU. After getting as high as No. 3 in the national poll, the Tigers have stumbled a bit, dropping three of their last five games, including a rematch last Saturday against the Mules. Fort Hays' combination of Dominique Jones and Corbin Kuntzsch have led the Tigers in offense, averaging 13.3 and 13.1 points per game, respectively. It's on the defensive side of the ball where Hays has made its name; the Tigers allow a conference-low 63 points to their opponents, who shoot at a 39.6% mark. As a team, FHSU can also get hot from outside the arc, shooting 41.9% from three, second-best in the conference, led mainly by Jones (46.2%) and Kuntzsch (42.5%).
       
NEXT UP FOR THE BEARCATS
The Bearcats will head out on their next-to-last road trip of the regular season, when they face the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. Omaha's 99-91 defeat of the Bearcats earlier this year snapped SBU's 38-game home winning streak, which was the second-longest active streak in Division II at the time. The Mavs are winners of three straight and have moved into the third spot in the MIAA standings after taking care of Truman State at home last weekend. Defense is the key to Omaha's success, holding opponents to 42% shooting, second-best in the MIAA, while bringing down a 27.8 defensive rebounds a game, most in the league. UNO's rebound totals are due in large part to junior Eugene Bain (7.0 rpg), and seniors Matt Newman (6.0), and Dion Curry (5.9). Tyler Bullock is the Mavs' leading scorer, averaging 17.8 points a game.
   
SBU will play their final home game of the season on Tuesday night when they host Northwest Missouri State. The purple Bearcats will honor their lone senior, Matt Rogers, prior to the 7:30 p.m. game.