KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The MIAA men's basketball slate for 2007-08 starts with a bang on Wednesday (Jan. 2), as the undefeated and 16th-ranked Pittsburg State Gorillas (9-0, 0-0 MIAA) host the Central Missouri Mules (7-2, 0-0 MIAA) highlights the opening night's slate.

This is a rematch of the 2007 MIAA Tournament championship game, which UCM claimed by a 59-56 count for the Mules' fifth straight win in the series.

The Gorillas have won their first nine games for the second time in four seasons -- and would like to avoid the fate of the 2004-05 squad, which had its run stopped by the Mules.

UCM has hit a rough stretch, dropping two of their last four games after a 5-0 start. The losses came at Rockhurst (Mo.) and to the fourth-ranked Rollins (Fla.) Tars to conclude the High Desert Classic Dec. 19.

Washburn (8-1, 0-0 MIAA) is aiming to avoid missing the conference postseason tournament for a third consecutive season, and the 25th-ranked Ichabods bring an eight-game winning streak into the first night of league play at Missouri Western (5-3, 0-0 MIAA).

The Griffons dropped both of their games to regional foes at the St. Mary's (Texas) River City Classic -- No. 21 Central Oklahoma and Southeastern Oklahoma State (a regional finalist last season).

After losing at now-No. 8 Southwestern Oklahoma State in the season opener, Fort Hays State (7-1, 0-0 MIAA) has rallied to win the next seven -- including an avenging win over the Bulldogs at Gross Memorial Coliseum Dec. 20, 54-51.

The Tigers open league play at home against No. 23 Emporia State (5-4, 0-0 MIAA). The Hornets have dropped four of their last five games, with two of them coming in ESU's only true road games of the season -- including a tough four-overtime loss at Midwestern (Texas) State Dec. 20.

The Battle of the Bearcats will be in Maryville, as 11th-ranked Northwest Missouri State (8-1, 0-0 MIAA) hosts Southwest Baptist (7-2, 0-0 MIAA).

SBU has a five-game winning streak coming into the Northwest game -- all coming at home. The purple Bearcats' last loss was at Southwestern Oklahoma State, back on Nov. 24.

Northwest Missouri State have not played at home since suffering its first and only loss to Nebraska-Omaha. The green Bearcats came back to get revenge on the Mavericks nearly two weeks later in Omaha.

The opening night slate of MIAA play also has Missouri Southern (6-3, 0-0 MIAA) travelling to Truman (1-8, 0-0 MIAA) to face a young Bulldog squad.

Both teams are struggling entering the new year -- the Lions have lost three of their last four game while the Bulldogs dropped three in a row since securing their only win, an 86-45 decision over Central Christian-Bible (Mo.) on Dec. 8.

ESU FALLS IN FOUR OVERTIMES: The Emporia State Hornets played in just the third game involving an MIAA school to go four overtimes, falling at Midwestern (Texas) State, 127-124, Dec. 20.

Six Hornets fouled out of the game -- including four of the five starters. The only starter not to be disqualified, senior G DeAndre Townsend, played 55 of a possible 60 minutes and scored 33 points.

The Hornets had a 10-point halftime lead, and led by 13 at one point in the second half before the Mustangs rallied to tie the game. ESU also had a five-point lead in the first overtime, and were up three in the fourth OT before MSU finished with an 8-2 run for the win.

Senior G/F Wes Book finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and four assists before fouling out. Senior G Marvin Lee added a career-high 21 points with a team-high five assists before getting his fifth foul.

Team-by-Team Notes

Central Missouri: UCM won its last outing, an 89-57 home win over Avila (Mo.) Saturday (Dec. 29)... Junior G De'Andre Byrd scored a career-high 14 points against the Eagles... Byrd has averaged 10.7 ppg over his last three games... Junior G Joe Young, the Mules' leading scorer (12.8 ppg), earned All-Tournament honors at the High Desert Classic -- he averaged 16 points for the two games... UCM is at WU Saturday (Jan. 5).

Emporia State: The Hornets will be seeking their third consecutive win over the FHSU Tigers... Senior F Caleb Tegtmeier logged his first career double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds against Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) in the St. Mary's (Texas) River City Classic Dec. 18... ESU is 5-1 when holding a lead with less than five minutes remaining in regulation this season... The Hornets travel to Southwest Baptist Saturday.

Fort Hays State: Senior G Jake Sims logged his first double-double at FHSU with 16 points and 12 rebounds against Kansas Wesleyan Dec. 14, and leads the MIAA in turnover ratio (4.17)... The Tigers ended with a 13-1 run to rally from a nine-point deficit against Southwestern Oklahoma State and get the 54-51 win... Sims led the Tigers with 16 points, while junior G Tyrone Evans had 12... FHSU goes to Northwest Saturday.

Missouri Southern: The Lions lost an 86-84 overtime road decision to Newman (Kan.) Dec. 17... MSSU was out-scored, 11-5, in the final 2:44 of the OT period against the Jets... Junior F Vincent Atiba had 24 points and 14 rebounds -- both career highs -- in the loss... Southern is seeking to snap a five-game losing skid in the series with Truman... The Lions return home to host Missouri Western Saturday.

Missouri Western: Junior G Gus Moss averaged 21.0 points and 3.0 assists in the Griffons' two losses at the St. Mary's (Texas) River City Classic... Junior G Lonnel Johnson also averaged 21 points while in Texas, scoring a season-best 27 in the loss to No. 21 Central Oklahoma... Junior F Reggie Bunch was held to 10 points vs. UCO, breaking a string of five straight games with at least 20... Western is at MSSU Saturday.

Northwest Missouri State: Head coach Steve Tappmeyer moved past Truman's Boyd King (1946-71 -- 379) for third on the MIAA's career coaching wins list with Northwest's win over No. 21 Central Oklahoma in the St. Mary's (Texas) River City Classic... Sophomore G Lance Sullivan averaged 20.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in the Texas tournament... Northwest hosts FHSU Saturday.

Pittsburg State: The Gorillas are seeking their second 10-0 start since the 1955-56 season when UCM visits... Senior C Cory Abercrombie has led PSU in scoring in seven straight games and eight of the nine played... Four of the five starters had at least 13 points in the Gorillas' 93-58 home win Saturday (Dec. 29) over Southwestern (Kan.), Abercrombie scored 21 and junior G Carlos Taylor had 18... PSU is at Truman Saturday.

Southwest Baptist: The Bearcats shot 51.5 percent from the field in the first half en route to an 82-60 home win over Arkansas-Monticello Dec. 20... Junior G D'Ante Harris had 23 points and senior F Jim Grabowski added 21... G Tristan Steele is the MIAA's top freshman scorer (17th overall) at 12.4 ppg and is second to Harris (55.1 percent) on the league's three-point accuracy list at 50.0 percent... SBU hosts ESU Saturday.

Truman: Junior G Banks Estridge has averaged a team-best 18.6 points over the Bulldogs' last five games... Truman was 1-of-13 from three-point range in a 58-48 loss at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Dec. 20... Senior F Nick Certa led the Bulldogs with 13 points, while sophomore G Gabe Landau matched his career high with 10 points off the bench... Truman will host Pitt State Saturday.

Washburn: In his first two starts of the season, senior F Brady Sisk led WU with a 14.5 scoring average in the St. Mary's (Texas) River City Classic... Sisk had 17 points before fouling out in the 77-75 win over the host Rattlers... With 54 blocked shots in his career, junior F Paul Byers needs two more to claim eighth place on Ichabods' career list... WU has seven wins in the last 10 vs. MWSU... The Ichabods host UCM Saturday.

-- MIAA --