Men's Basketball 1/8/2020 1:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Visits MSSU

JOPLIN, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma men's basketball team takes a three-game win streak on the road when the Bronchos take on Missouri Southern Thursday night in Joplin in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play.

UCO is 6-8 overall this season and 3-2 in league play after winning its final game before the holiday break and both contests this past week. Missouri Southern, which is ranked 12th in the country in the latest coaches' poll, is 11-2 overall and 4-0 in league play.

UCO as a team is averaging 70.7 points per game. The Bronchos shoot 44.7 percent from the field overall and 30.5 percent from behind the arc. Central hits 75.4 percent of its free-throws, making 255 from the line so far this season. UCO leads the MIAA in free-throws made and attempted (338) and is fourth in team free-throw percentage.

The Bronchos have found recent success thanks to the emergence of true freshman D.J. Basey. The Mesquite, Texas native and 6-foot-10 big man is averaging 15.7 points per game over the past four games dating back to Dec. 17. Basey has scored 16, 19, and 14 twice. How he got there has been just as impressive. Basey went 7-for-10 against Oklahoma Baptist, 8-for-10 against Newman, 7-for-7 against Central Missouri, and 5-for-6 against Lincoln for a combined 27-for-33 (81.8 percent) from the floor. He is averaging 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for the year.

Dashawn McDowell, Dashon Bell, Camryn Givens, and Justin Nimmer have also been key players in the Central offense this season.

McDowell is the team's leading scorer at 13.3 points per game. He's scored in double figures in 9 of 14 games this season and is also the team's second leading rebounder at 5.3 boards per game. Bell (9.1), Givens (8.8), and Nimmer (8.1) all contribute to UCO's success on offense. Givens' 5.5 rebounds per game leads UCO. Nimmer averages 5.2 rebounds per game.

Cooper Clark, who averages 6.4 points per game, and Colt Savage, who scores 6.3 points per game, help out as well. Savage has a team-high 17 made 3-pointers this season and shoots 43.6 percent from behind the arc.

Missouri Southern has earned a spot atop the MIAA standings thanks to an 89 points per game average through 13 games this season. Cam Martin leads the team with 21.6 points per game and is also the team's leading rebounder at 8.8 per game. Kinzer Lambert, 13.2 points per game, and Elyjah Clark, 11.5 points per game, also lead the team. Braelon Walker and Reggie Tharp both score 9.5 per game. MSSU also boasts a league-leading 11.4 made 3-pointers per game.

Missouri Southern owns the edge in the all-time series, having won 10 of 14 meetings, including eight consecutive. UCO is looking for its first win in the series since 2013. Central Oklahoma continues a short, two-game road trip Saturday when the Bronchos take on Pittsburg State in Kansas.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Dashon Bell: G; 6' 1"; Senior

#24 Cooper Clark: G; 6' 1"; Senior

#0 Justin Nimmer: G; 6' 6"; Redshirt Freshman

#21 Colt Savage: F; 6' 5"; Sophomore

#3 Dashawn McDowell: F; 6' 5"; Junior

#12 D.J. Basey: F; 6' 10"; Freshman

#33 Camryn Givens: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#1 Dashon Bell
: 6' 1"; Senior
: G

#24 Cooper Clark
: 6' 1"; Senior
: G

#0 Justin Nimmer
: 6' 6"; Redshirt Freshman
: G

#21 Colt Savage
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: F

#3 Dashawn McDowell
: 6' 5"; Junior
: F

#12 D.J. Basey
: 6' 10"; Freshman
: F

#33 Camryn Givens
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F