Mules basketball ranked fourth in NCAA-II in attendance

      One of the benefits of playing high level basketball is the opportunity to play in front of large crowds. Never was that more true than the 2004-05 Central Missouri State University Mules basketball season. The Mules went 24-7 in 2004-05, won the MIAA regular season and postseason tournament titles, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time since 1996-97.

As a result, CMSU drew an average of 2,964 fans to its 14 home games, a figure that ranks fourth among NCAA Division II schools. The Mules ranked 17^th in 2003-04.

CMSU saw 41,506 fans at the Multipurpose Building this season, and those fans witnessed a Mules basketball squad that went 13-1 at home. Five times Central Missouri State boasted crowds of at least 4,200, including a season-high 5,000 for the season finale vs. Southwest Baptist.

Over the past four seasons, Central Missouri State home attendance has grown consistently (922 in 2001-02; 1,852 in 2002-03; 2,338 in 2003-04; and 2,964 in 2004-05).

As a conference, the MIAA was third to the North Central Conference and Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association in average attendance and second to the CIAA in total attendance with 249,063 fans at 140 MIAA home games.

Complete rankings for schools and conferences are attached:

2005 NCAA D- II AND D-III MEN'S BASKETBALL ATTENDANCE TEAM LEADERS

Rank Division II              G/S  Attendance         Avg.

1. Virginia State                  14           48,597        3,471

2. Northern State                 16           54,529        3,408

3. Winston-Salem                13           40,752        3,134

4. Central Missouri State  14           41,506        2,964

5. St. Cloud State                13           37,254        2,865

6. Washburn                        17           48,175        2,833

7. North Dakota                   15           41,870        2,791

8. Kentucky Wesleyan        15           39,300        2,620

9. South Dakota                   16           41,251        2,578

10. Augustana (S.D.)           15           37,572        2,504

11. Harding                         13           31,460        2,420

12. Minnesota State-Mankato 14       33,754        2,411

13. Southern Indiana           17           40,714        2,394

14. Virginia Union              11           26,324        2,393

15. Emporia State                14           33,028        2,359

16. Nebraska-Kearney        16           36,962        2,310

17. Cal St. Bakersfield        14           28,640        2,045

18. Fayetteville State             8           15,877        1,984

19. Bowie State                   18           35,664        1,981

20. Michigan Tech              12           22,011        1,834

2005 NCAA D- II AND D-III MEN'S BASKETBALL

ATTENDANCE CONFERENCE LEADERS

Rank Division II              Teams Sessions Attendance  Average

1. North Central                          7         102     229,745          2,252

2. CIAA                                    12         145     299,562          2,066

3. MIAA                                   10         140     249,063          1,779

4. Northern Sun                          8         108     129,687          1,201

5. SIAC                                     12         145     162,501          1,121

6. Great Lakes Valley               11         160     177,632          1,110

7. Great Northwest                   10         137     147,693          1,078

8. Lone Star                              14         194     191,387             987

9. Gulf South                            17         223     203,874              914

10. Great Lakes Intercollegiate 13         183     166,706             911

MIAA=Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association

CIAA=Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association

SIAC=Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference