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Opponent: Central Missouri
Time: 3:30 PM
Location: Bolivar, Missouri (Meyer Sports Center)

Bolivar, Mo. - Southwest Baptist (5-4, 1-1 MIAA) comes back home to challenge in state and MIAA rival Central Missouri (8-2, 1-1 MIAA) on a Saturday afternoon in Bolivar, Missouri.

Previewing the Bearcats
The Bearcats sport a 5-4 (1-1 MIAA) record in the 2017-18 season. Their last time out the Bearcats shot the lights out in a 92-69 win over MIAA opponent Northeastern State. SBU is paced by senior forward Logan Hovey who averages a team high 20.7 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game. Cartier Dean and Marlon Alcindor average double figure scoring with 10.3 points per game and 13.9 points per game, respectively. Dean is also the second leading rebounder on the team with 4.4 rebounds per game.  As a team, the Bearcats are scoring 83.4 points per game and shooting a conference leading 47.6% from behind the arc while only giving up 75.0 points per game on 42.6% shooting from opponents. 

Previewing the Mules
Central Missouri comes into this matchup with a record of 8-2 (1-1 MIAA) and ranked #3 in the central region. The Mules have split two MIAA games this week, losing to Northwest Missouri, 79-55, on Sunday and beating Missouri Western, 67-51, on Thursday night. Senior Spencer Reaves, junior Jakob Lowrance, and senior DJ Richardson all score double figures. Reaves averages 16.5 ppg and 5.7 rpg, Lowrance puts up 14.4 ppg, and Richardson scores 12.3 ppg. For the season, the Mules are scoring 70.0 ppg on 46.9% shooting and allowing 61.4 ppg. The Mules are being outrebounded by their opponents as they grab 28.1 rpg and their opponents snag 32.9.

The Coaches
SBU head coach Clark Sheehy is in his fourth season on the SBU bench, holding a 41-54 (20-42 MIAA) record while at SBU. Coach Sheehy holds a career coaching record of 223-155 across twelve seasons while coaching six different All-Americans and over 20 athletes that have moved on to play professional basketball. Sheehy has guided the Bearcats back over .500 after starting out 1-3 this season.

Doug Karleskint is in his fourth season as head coach of the Central Missouri men's basketball program in 2017-18. Last season the Mules went 21-9 and made it to the MIAA Championship before falling to eventual National Champion Northwest Missouri State. Karleskint holds a record of 68-33 at UCM and a 157-67 overall coaching record across seven seasons.

All-Time Series
Central Missouri possesses a 42-23 advantage over Southwest Baptist in the all-time series. When these two teams last squared off on December 17, 2016, Central Missouri came away with 87-66 victory.