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Date: February 10, 2018
Time: 3:30 PM
Location: Pittsburg, Kansas

Bolivar, Mo. - Southwest Baptist (11-12, 5-9 MIAA) continues on the road Saturday to Pittsburg to challenge the Pittsburg State Gorillas (13-10, 6-8 MIAA) on Saturday afternoon.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
The Bearcats sport a 11-12 (5-9 MIAA) record in the 2017-18 season. The Bearcats are on a current three game skid after dropping three contests to Northeastern State, Central Oklahoma, and Missouri Southern. SBU is paced by senior forward Logan Hovey who averages a team high and 3rd best in the MIAA conference 18.6 points per game and 5th best 7.7 rebounds per game. Marlon Alcindor averages double figures with 12.6 points per game. Chris Rossow leads the team in assists with 4.4 a game, and Damian Prgomet chips in 8.0 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game. As a team, the Bearcats are scoring 76.6 points per game, which is 8th best in the MIAA conference, and shoot a 4th best in the MIAA and 19th best in the NCAA 40.4% from behind the arc while giving up 74.2 points per game on 42.3% shooting from opponents. The 42.3 field goal percentage defense ranks third in the MIAA.

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SCOUTING THE GORILLAS
Pittsburg State comes into this contest with a record of 13-10 (6-8 MIAA). On Wednesday night, the Gorillas went to Central Missouri and were defeated by a score of 87-85. With the top scoring offense in the MIAA, the Gorillas have five players that consistently score double figures. Xavier Adams, the 4th leading scorer in the MIAA and 7th best rebounder, leads the Gorillas with 18.2 points per game and 7.1 rebounds. Donovan Franklin is second on the team with 15.8 points per game. Grant Lozoya follows with 13.5 points per game. Pitt State averages 86.3 points per game, which is tops in the conference and 22nd best in the NCAA. They allow 74.2 points a game and carry a negative rebounding margin of -0.2.

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THE COACHES
SBU head coach Clark Sheehy is in his fourth season on the SBU bench, holding a 47-62 (24-50 MIAA) record while at SBU. Coach Sheehy holds a career coaching record of 228-163 across twelve seasons while coaching six different All-Americans and over 20 athletes that have moved on to play professional basketball. Under Sheehy, SBU has produced two All-MIAA selections.

Kim Anderson, comes to Pittsburg State after serving the past three seasons as head basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Missouri. He has a 301-162 (.650) career collegiate coaching record. Prior to his assignment at Mizzou, Anderson coached 12 seasons at MIAA rival University of Central Missouri.

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ALL-TIME SERIES
SBU leads the series over Pitt State, 34-29. The two teams matched up in Bolivar in February 2017 with the Bearcats defeating the Gorillas 61-54.

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BEARCATS LAST OUTING
(2/7/18) - Bolivar, Mo. - After only trailing by three at halftime, the Southwest Baptist Men's Basketball team was outscored 55-42 in the second half before ultimately dropping an 88-72 contest against Missouri Southern. The loss is the Bearcats third in a row, and their record sits at 11-12 (5-9 MIAA). The win makes Missouri Southern's record 15-8 (10-4 MIAA). 

Logan Hovey was one of four Bearcats in double digits in the scoring column. He led the Bearcats in 19 points on 8 of 14 shooting from the field. Hovey added 7 rebounds, 4 of which were on the offensive end. Marlon Alcindor scored 11 points and pulled down 4 rebounds. Darnell Latham Jr. also chipped in 11 points and corralled 5 rebounds. Chris Rossow filled up the stat sheet in multiple categories with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Damian Prgomet fell two points short of another double double with 8 points and 11 rebounds in the losing effort. As a team, Southwest Baptist shot 47.5% (29-61) from the floor, 27.3% (3-11) from deep, and 84.6% (11-13) from the foul line. SBU had the edge on the boards over the Lions, 41 to 30. The Bearcats almost doubled up the Lions on points in the paint, 48 to 26. The difference was Missouri Southern made 14 threes on the night. SBU only forced 8 Lion turnovers while turning it over 17 times themselves.

Four minutes into the game, SBU held a 12-7 lead after a layup from Alcindor. After a Missouri Southern run, SBU tied the game back up at 16 on a steal and fastbreak layup from Latham Jr. With 3:51 remaining in the half, SBU retook the lead 27-25 on a Karim Mouliom layup. The Lions closed the half on a mini run to take a slim 33-30 advantage into the locker room.

Quickly into the second half, Missouri Southern opened their first double digit lead of the half, 44-33. At the 14:28 mark, SBU cut the Lion margin down to just two points on a traditional three point play from Mouliom. Over the next five minutes, Missouri Southern pushed their lead out a bit but the Bearcats stayed within five to seven points. At the under 10 media timeout, the Lions held a seven point, 61-54, advantage. Coming out of this media timeout, Missouri Southern went on a 10-3 run in the next three minutes that put the Bearcats away. SBU would not get the Lions lead under double digits the rest of the way.

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GORILLAS LAST OUTING
(2/7/18) - Warrensburg, Mo. — Spencer Reaves hit a guarded jumper as time expired to lift the University of Central Missouri men's basketball team to an 87-75 victory over Pittsburg State University Wednesday (Feb. 7) at the UCM Multipurpose Building.
 
The Gorillas (13-10, 6-8 MIAA) never led in the game and Pitt State trailed by 16 points, 68-52, with 8:12 to play in the game before making a comeback bid down the stretch.
 
Dakota Jones' 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to knot the score at 85-85, but the Mules inbounded the ball and rushed the ball up court, eventually getting Reaves the ball for the game winner.
 
Reaves made eight of 11 shots in the game and led all scorers with 24 points for UCM (19-4, 11-3 MIAA). Jakob Lowrance and Daniel Farris added 14 points apiece for the Mules.
 
Grant Lozoya scored a team-leading 22 points for the Gorillas. Xavier Adams added 15 point, while Demetrius Levarity added 14 and Jones finished with 11.
 
Pitt State made 18 of 28 shots from the field in the second half and finished the game 50 percent from the floor (26-52). The Gorillas converted 24 of 35 free throws in the contest.

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