Men's Basketball Notes at Northeastern State

Missouri Southern Lions (5-1) at

Northeastern State (Okla.) Redmen (3-3)

Game 7 • 7 p.m. • Tahlequah, Okla. • Dobbins Field House (1,200)

On the Air: Missouri Southern Lions action can be heard on Oldies 103.5 FM. Kevin Greim will handle the play-by-play, along with former Lion Jeff Starkweather, color commentary. The pregame show tips off 20 minutes before the game. The Lions broadcasts are also available on the internet, courtesy of Joplin.com. Just go to the Missouri Southern Athletics web site (www.mssu.edu/athletics) and click on the link for live broadcasts.

The Coaches: Head coach Robert Corn begins his 15th season at the helm of the Lions, where he has posted a 229-171 record, a winning percentage of .573. A 1978 graduate of Southern and the all-time winningest coach in Lions basketball history, he has led Southern to four consecutive 20-win seasons and six overall. Corn was honored as 1999-2000 MIAA Coach of the Year, NABC South Central Regional Coach of the Year, and Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year following a 30-3 season in which the Lions advanced to the NCAA-II Elite Eight semifinals.

Larry Gipson is in his seventh year as head coach at Northeastern State, where he has compiled a 138-46 (.750) mark. He’s now in his 22nd year as a collegiate head coach and holds a 423-206 (.673) mark. Gipson has led the Redmen to five straight Lone Star Conference North Division titles and four straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. His 2002-03 cagers won the national championship.

The Series: Missouri Southern leads 12-9 in the all-time series with the Redmen, but has won just once in eight games in Tahlequah. The Lions won 58-54 at NSU on Nov. 30, 1999.

Lions at St. Mary’s Classic

Missouri Southern improved to 5-1 on the season with its fourth straight victory on Saturday, a 79-72 decision over the host in the St. Mary’s University (Texas) Classic.

Senior guard Ameer Watts scored 29 points, one off of his career high, including 18 in the second half. Watts connected on 9-of-17 shots from the field and 6-of-9 from long range. He also made 5-of-6 from the foul line.

Missouri Southern Lions outrebounded the Rattlers 46-32 and never trailed.

Junior guard Hiram Ocasio turned in another stellar game, scoring 13 points to go with four assists, four blocks and four steals. Junior forward Orestus Cavness scored 14 points to go with a team-high eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

St. Mary’s got within four with 1:19 left, but Southern converted each of its last eight free throw attempts to seal the win.

On Friday, the Ocasio scored 21 points in the second half and helped Southern to an 84-68 win over Paul Quinn (Texas). Ocasio also grabbed nine steals, one off of former teammate Eddin Santiago’s school and MIAA record. Ocasio was 9-of-12 from the field and added four rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Watts, Cavness and junior Caleb Engelken had 11 points each.

Scouting the Redmen

Northeastern State began the season No. 6 in the Division II Bulletin Top 25, but has lost as many games (3) as it did all of last season, entering Tuesday night’s game with an even 3-3 record. The Redmen opened with wins over Lincoln (75-43) and Bacone (70-57) before suffering a home loss (69-56) to John Brown (Ark.). NSU then lost at Lincoln (64-50) before entering last weekend’s tournament at Missouri Western. The Redmen won 52-40 over Truman on Friday but came away with a 63-48 defeat on Saturday.

Senior guard Darnell Hinson missed each of NSU’s first four games, but returned this past weekend. He leads the team with 18.5 points per game. Senior guard Derek Cline is second with 17.3 points average and leads the team with 21 three-pointers made (21-of-52, 40.4 percent). Junior guard Lateef Jackson (7.0 ppg) is the Redmen’s top rebounder at 9.0 boards per game.

Hinson had 16 points and five assists in the Redmen’s loss at MWSC, while Jackson added 11 points and seven rebounds. Hinson scored 21 points and Cline had 16 in the victory over TSU.

Last Year: Missouri Southern 73, Northeastern State 56

JOPLIN –– Missouri Southern had the No. 15 Northeastern State Redmen on the ropes before they even knew what hit them in a 73-56 win.

Southern scored the game’s first 17 points and led 30-8 at one point. Ameer Watts scored all 13 of his first half points in the game’s first 11:15. He finished with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three-point land.

The Lions shot 51.9 percent in the first half, compared to the Redmen’s 29.6 percentage. MSSC was even better in the second half, making 57.1 percent after the break.

Northeastern State went on to finish 32-3 and won the NCAA Division II championship over Kentucky Wesleyan.

Ocasio Causes Havoc: Hiram Ocasio, the Lions’ 6-1 junior guard, has scored in double figures in 10 of his last 11 games, dating back to last year, and is averaging 14.9 points over that span. This year, he has at least two steals in six straight games and leads the team in both steals (24, 4.0 spg) and blocks (10, 1.7 bpg), in addition to his team-leading 15.3 ppg scoring average. He fired in a career-high 23 points in the loss to Bemidji State and matched it in the win over Paul Quinn (Texas). Also against Paul Quinn, Ocasio recorded nine steals, one off of former teammate Eddin Santiago’s MIAA and MSSU single-game records.

Good Guards Ya’ll: Senior Ameer Watts and juniors Hiram Ocasio and Jeremy “PeeWee” Jones currently hold a 1.51 assist-turnover ratio (62/41). The three average 10.33 assists per game, with Watts leading the way at 4.67. Ocasio averages 2.5 assists per game and Jones has a 3.17 average in just 17 minutes per game.

50/50: The Lions have shot 50 percent or better in each of their last four games, including a season-best 54.4 percent vs. Paul Quinn. Southern shot 52.2 percent vs. Colorado-Colorado Springs, 50 percent vs. Quincy and 50.9 percent vs. St. Mary’s.

And the Foul: The Lions may not be setting the world on fire at the free throw line (66.9 percent), but they’re getting there on a regular basis. Through four games, Missouri Southern has made nearly as many free throws (111) as its opponents have attempted (114). Senior guard Ameer Watts and junior Hiram Ocasio are tied for the team lead with 28 made free throws –– Watts is shooting 90.3 percent at the stripe.

Glass Cleaners & Caretakers: Missouri Southern is out-rebounding their foes by an average of 6.5 boards per game and opponents are committing 2.5 more turnovers per outing. Southern averages 12.5 steals per game, compared to 7.5 for opponents.

O.C. Above the Rim: Orestus “O.C.” Cavness, currently third on the team with 12.7 points a game, has reached double figures in five of his first six games as a Lion, including a season-best 21 points in the opener with Rockhurst. What’s more, the high-flying, 6-foot-3 forward has seven of Missouri Southern’s 11 dunks on the season.

Trouble Dialing Long Distance: The Lions have shot just 27.4 percent (31-of-113) from three-point range this season, compared to a 33.7 percentage (35-of-104) for their opponents. Hiram Ocasio is shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range, and Deon Rose has made 3-of-5 long distance attempts. Three-point marksmen Ameer Watts and Caleb Engelken didn’t come out of the chutes strong, shooting 19 and 23.1 percent, respectively, through the first four games. But in the last two, Watts and Engelken combined to hit 50 percent (12-of-24).

A Streak of 20s: Southern’s four straight 20-win seasons coming into this year is unprecedented in team history. The 2002-03 team’s 20-win campaign marked the 13th such season in team history and the sixth under coach Corn’s watch.

Up Next: The end of Missouri Southern’s pre-conference schedule is quickly approaching. Southern hosts its annual Freeman Sports Medicine/Chris Tucker Classic on Friday and Saturday (Dec. 5-6). The Lions host Central Baptist (Ark.) at 7 p.m. on Friday and take on St. Gregory’s (Okla.) at 7 p.m. on Saturday.


	Missouri Southern Lions (5-1) at Northeastern State (Okla.) Redmen (3-3) Game 7 • 7 p.m. • Tahlequah, Okla. • Dobbins Field House (1,200) View Notes in PDF Format On the Air: Missouri Southern Lions action can be heard on Oldies 103.5 FM. Kevin Greim will handle the play-by-play, along with former Lion Jeff Starkweather, color commentary. The pregame show tips off 20 minutes before the game. The Lions broadcasts are also available on the internet, courtesy of Joplin.com. Just go to the Missouri Southern Athletics web site (www.mssu.edu/athletics) and click on the link for live broadcasts. The Coaches: Head coach Robert Corn begins his 15th season at the helm of the Lions, where he has posted a 229-171 record, a winning percentage of .573. A 1978 graduate of Southern and the all-time winningest coach in Lions basketball history, he has led Southern to four consecutive 20-win seasons and six overall. Corn was honored as 1999-2000 MIAA Coach of the Year, NABC South Central Regional Coach of the Year, and Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year following a 30-3 season in which the Lions advanced to the NCAA-II Elite Eight semifinals. Larry Gipson is in his seventh year as head coach at Northeastern State, where he has compiled a 138-46 (.750) mark. He’s now in his 22nd year as a collegiate head coach and holds a 423-206 (.673) mark. Gipson has led the Redmen to five straight Lone Star Conference North Division titles and four straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. His 2002-03 cagers won the national championship. The Series: Missouri Southern leads 12-9 in the all-time series with the Redmen, but has won just once in eight games in Tahlequah. The Lions won 58-54 at NSU on Nov. 30, 1999. Lions at St. Mary’s Classic Missouri Southern improved to 5-1 on the season with its fourth straight victory on Saturday, a 79-72 decision over the host in the St. Mary’s University (Texas) Classic. Senior guard Ameer Watts scored 29 points, one off of his career high, including 18 in the second half. Watts connected on 9-of-17 shots from the field and 6-of-9 from long range. He also made 5-of-6 from the foul line. Missouri Southern Lions outrebounded the Rattlers 46-32 and never trailed. Junior guard Hiram Ocasio turned in another stellar game, scoring 13 points to go with four assists, four blocks and four steals. Junior forward Orestus Cavness scored 14 points to go with a team-high eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks. St. Mary’s got within four with 1:19 left, but Southern converted each of its last eight free throw attempts to seal the win. On Friday, the Ocasio scored 21 points in the second half and helped Southern to an 84-68 win over Paul Quinn (Texas). Ocasio also grabbed nine steals, one off of former teammate Eddin Santiago’s school and MIAA record. Ocasio was 9-of-12 from the field and added four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Watts, Cavness and junior Caleb Engelken had 11 points each. Scouting the Redmen Northeastern State began the season No. 6 in the Division II Bulletin Top 25, but has lost as many games (3) as it did all of last season, entering Tuesday night’s game with an even 3-3 record. The Redmen opened with wins over Lincoln (75-43) and Bacone (70-57) before suffering a home loss (69-56) to John Brown (Ark.). NSU then lost at Lincoln (64-50) before entering last weekend’s tournament at Missouri Western. The Redmen won 52-40 over Truman on Friday but came away with a 63-48 defeat on Saturday. Senior guard Darnell Hinson missed each of NSU’s first four games, but returned this past weekend. He leads the team with 18.5 points per game. Senior guard Derek Cline is second with 17.3 points average and leads the team with 21 three-pointers made (21-of-52, 40.4 percent). Junior guard Lateef Jackson (7.0 ppg) is the Redmen’s top rebounder at 9.0 boards per game. Hinson had 16 points and five assists in the Redmen’s loss at MWSC, while Jackson added 11 points and seven rebounds. Hinson scored 21 points and Cline had 16 in the victory over TSU. Last Year: Missouri Southern 73, Northeastern State 56 JOPLIN –– Missouri Southern had the No. 15 Northeastern State Redmen on the ropes before they even knew what hit them in a 73-56 win. Southern scored the game’s first 17 points and led 30-8 at one point. Ameer Watts scored all 13 of his first half points in the game’s first 11:15. He finished with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three-point land. The Lions shot 51.9 percent in the first half, compared to the Redmen’s 29.6 percentage. MSSC was even better in the second half, making 57.1 percent after the break. Northeastern State went on to finish 32-3 and won the NCAA Division II championship over Kentucky Wesleyan. Ocasio Causes Havoc: Hiram Ocasio, the Lions’ 6-1 junior guard, has scored in double figures in 10 of his last 11 games, dating back to last year, and is averaging 14.9 points over that span. This year, he has at least two steals in six straight games and leads the team in both steals (24, 4.0 spg) and blocks (10, 1.7 bpg), in addition to his team-leading 15.3 ppg scoring average. He fired in a career-high 23 points in the loss to Bemidji State and matched it in the win over Paul Quinn (Texas). Also against Paul Quinn, Ocasio recorded nine steals, one off of former teammate Eddin Santiago’s MIAA and MSSU single-game records. Good Guards Ya’ll: Senior Ameer Watts and juniors Hiram Ocasio and Jeremy “PeeWee” Jones currently hold a 1.51 assist-turnover ratio (62/41). The three average 10.33 assists per game, with Watts leading the way at 4.67. Ocasio averages 2.5 assists per game and Jones has a 3.17 average in just 17 minutes per game. 50/50: The Lions have shot 50 percent or better in each of their last four games, including a season-best 54.4 percent vs. Paul Quinn. Southern shot 52.2 percent vs. Colorado-Colorado Springs, 50 percent vs. Quincy and 50.9 percent vs. St. Mary’s. And the Foul: The Lions may not be setting the world on fire at the free throw line (66.9 percent), but they’re getting there on a regular basis. Through four games, Missouri Southern has made nearly as many free throws (111) as its opponents have attempted (114). Senior guard Ameer Watts and junior Hiram Ocasio are tied for the team lead with 28 made free throws –– Watts is shooting 90.3 percent at the stripe. Glass Cleaners & Caretakers: Missouri Southern is out-rebounding their foes by an average of 6.5 boards per game and opponents are committing 2.5 more turnovers per outing. Southern averages 12.5 steals per game, compared to 7.5 for opponents. O.C. Above the Rim: Orestus “O.C.” Cavness, currently third on the team with 12.7 points a game, has reached double figures in five of his first six games as a Lion, including a season-best 21 points in the opener with Rockhurst. What’s more, the high-flying, 6-foot-3 forward has seven of Missouri Southern’s 11 dunks on the season. Trouble Dialing Long Distance: The Lions have shot just 27.4 percent (31-of-113) from three-point range this season, compared to a 33.7 percentage (35-of-104) for their opponents. Hiram Ocasio is shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range, and Deon Rose has made 3-of-5 long distance attempts. Three-point marksmen Ameer Watts and Caleb Engelken didn’t come out of the chutes strong, shooting 19 and 23.1 percent, respectively, through the first four games. But in the last two, Watts and Engelken combined to hit 50 percent (12-of-24). A Streak of 20s: Southern’s four straight 20-win seasons coming into this year is unprecedented in team history. The 2002-03 team’s 20-win campaign marked the 13th such season in team history and the sixth under coach Corn’s watch. Up Next: The end of Missouri Southern’s pre-conference schedule is quickly approaching. Southern hosts its annual Freeman Sports Medicine/Chris Tucker Classic on Friday and Saturday (Dec. 5-6). The Lions host Central Baptist (Ark.) at 7 p.m. on Friday and take on St. Gregory’s (Okla.) at 7 p.m. on Saturday.