MARYVILLE, Missouri - The Northeastern State Riverhawks staked themselves to a 7-0 lead and held on for an 8-6 victory over the Northwest Missouri State baseball team in the Bearcat home opener Friday.

Following a scoreless first inning, the RiverHawk offense got things going with two runs in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth to jump out to a size able 7-0 advantage.

Northwest plated a runner in the home half of the fourth, clawing into Northeastern State's lead, 7-1. With two outs, junior Jacob Pinkerton doubled to left field, scoring the speedy senior infielder Calvin Rudolph from first.

With nothing doing in the fifth and the sixth innings, the Bearcats went to work in the seventh. Junior infielder Peter Carlson led off the inning, notching a single to center and giving Northwest life on the base paths. Next up, senior designated hitter Connor Quick connected with a two-run home run ball that deflected off the center field hitter's backdrop. Just as Quick reached the dugout, junior outfielder Matt Gastner stepped into the box and jacked a solo homer to left cutting the deficit to 7-4.

The RiverHawks answered in the top of the eighth, scoring a run of their own and extending the lead back to four at 8-4.

After two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth, Northwest put on its rally caps. Redshirt freshman Caden Diel drew a four-pitch walk. Next, with Rudolph at bat, Diel advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches. Diel trotted home after Carlson tallied his second hit of the afternoon. Carlson scored on the next at bat, following a single driven through the right side by Quick. The Bearcats left the bases loaded in the eighth, while scoring two runs on three hits.

The Bearcat ninth had promise as Tyler Peters led off with a pinch-hit single. However, he was erased when pinch hitter Garrett Darrah hit a rope to first that NSU's Chaz Orr snagged and doubled off Peters. Jacob Pinkerton grounded out to third to end it.

On the mound, junior Max Spitzmiller got the start for Northwest, throwing four innings. Spitzmiller allowed seven runs (four earned) on eight hits. Junior Dodge City CC transfer Jonathan McIntyre put in some solid relief work as he tossed 3 1/3 innings and gave up three hits and an earned run. Ethan Griswold got the final five outs on the bump for the Bearcats. Griswold struck out two and did not allow a hit. The Bearcat bullpen duo clocked five innings and allowed three hits while striking out a trio.

The Bearcats will be back in action for game two of the weekend series Saturday at 2 p.m.

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The Northeastern State Riverhawks staked themselves to a 7-0 lead and held on for an 8-6 victory over the Northwest Missouri State baseball team in the Bearcat home opener Friday.Following a scoreless first inning, the RiverHawk offense got things going with two runs in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth to jump out to a size able 7-0 advantage.Northwest plated a runner in the home half of the fourth, clawing into Northeastern State's lead, 7-1. With two outs, junior Jacob Pinkerton doubled to left field, scoring the speedy senior infielder Calvin Rudolph from first.With nothing doing in the fifth and the sixth innings, the Bearcats went to work in the seventh. Junior infielder Peter Carlson led off the inning, notching a single to center and giving Northwest life on the base paths. Next up, senior designated hitter Connor Quick connected with a two-run home run ball that deflected off the center field hitter's backdrop. Just as Quick reached the dugout, junior outfielder Matt Gastner stepped into the box and jacked a solo homer to left cutting the deficit to 7-4.The RiverHawks answered in the top of the eighth, scoring a run of their own and extending the lead back to four at 8-4.After two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth, Northwest put on its rally caps. Redshirt freshman Caden Diel drew a four-pitch walk. Next, with Rudolph at bat, Diel advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches. Diel trotted home after Carlson tallied his second hit of the afternoon. Carlson scored on the next at bat, following a single driven through the right side by Quick. The Bearcats left the bases loaded in the eighth, while scoring two runs on three hits.The Bearcat ninth had promise as Tyler Peters led off with a pinch-hit single. However, he was erased when pinch hitter Garrett Darrah hit a rope to first that NSU's Chaz Orr snagged and doubled off Peters. Jacob Pinkerton grounded out to third to end it.On the mound, junior Max Spitzmiller got the start for Northwest, throwing four innings. Spitzmiller allowed seven runs (four earned) on eight hits. Junior Dodge City CC transfer Jonathan McIntyre put in some solid relief work as he tossed 3 1/3 innings and gave up three hits and an earned run. Ethan Griswold got the final five outs on the bump for the Bearcats. Griswold struck out two and did not allow a hit. The Bearcat bullpen duo clocked five innings and allowed three hits while striking out a trio.The Bearcats will be back in action for game two of the weekend series Saturday at 2 p.m.--- Northwest Athletics ---

Northwest baseball loses MIAA opener to Northeastern State

CLASS 1 DISTRICT 16 CHAMPIONSHIP

CLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 CHAMPIONSHIP

CLASS 1 DISTRICT 15 CHAMPIONSHIP

BOYSCLASS 1 DISTRICT 16 CHAMPIONSHIPPlatte Valley 89, Worth County 46GIRLSCLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 CHAMPIONSHIPMaryville 48, St. Pius X 42CLASS 1 DISTRICT 15 CHAMPIONSHIPSouth Holt 42, DeKalb 24

Area High School Basketball Scores - Friday, February 28

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team rolled to a non-conference win over MIAA-foe Missouri Southern 9-3 Friday in Joplin.  The Griffons improve to 4-7, while the Lions drop to 6-6.

Missouri Western scored its highest run total of the season thanks in part to a dozen hits and six stolen bases. The first seven Griffons to the plate reached first safely in an inning that saw Missouri Western steal three bases. Brea Blanton led off the game with a double and scored on a Lauren Houston triple. Taylor Hoelscher made it 5-0 with an RBI single that scored Sydni Hawkins.

It was a 5-3 game after three, but MWSU got its sixth run in the fourth on a wild pitch, a seventh in the sixth on an RBI single by Hawkins and two runs in the seventh on another Blanton double and a muffed throw off a Houston single.

- The nine runs were the most this season by the Griffons and the 12 hits were the second most

- The six run differential was also big for MWSU as the Griffons had played five straight games with a two-run differential or less, four of them losses

- MWSU's six stolen bases in the game tied for the second most in program history

- Houston stole two with Blanton, Rachel Stewart, Emma Hoffart and Hawkins each adding one

- Missouri Western totaled four extra-base hits in the game. Blanton had two doubles and Emma Hoffart had one along with Houston's triple.

- Blanton and Houston both went 3 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Houston also walked once.

- Hawkins and Hoelscher each had two hits with Hawkins driving in two

- After the game, the top six batters in the order were all batting .313 or better on the season, led by Hoelscher's .364 average

- Kaili Hinds moved to 2-1 on the season with a complete game. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits, four walks and two Griffon errors. She also struck out five.

Missouri Western plays a doubleheader against Missouri S&amp;T (3-5) beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday in Joplin.

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western softball team rolled to a non-conference win over MIAA-foe Missouri Southern 9-3 Friday in Joplin. The Griffons improve to 4-7, while the Lions drop to 6-6.Missouri Western scored its highest run total of the season thanks in part to a dozen hits and six stolen bases. The first seven Griffons to the plate reached first safely in an inning that saw Missouri Western steal three bases. Brea Blanton led off the game with a double and scored on a Lauren Houston triple. Taylor Hoelscher made it 5-0 with an RBI single that scored Sydni Hawkins.It was a 5-3 game after three, but MWSU got its sixth run in the fourth on a wild pitch, a seventh in the sixth on an RBI single by Hawkins and two runs in the seventh on another Blanton double and a muffed throw off a Houston single.NOTABLES- The nine runs were the most this season by the Griffons and the 12 hits were the second most- The six run differential was also big for MWSU as the Griffons had played five straight games with a two-run differential or less, four of them losses- MWSU's six stolen bases in the game tied for the second most in program history- Houston stole two with Blanton, Rachel Stewart, Emma Hoffart and Hawkins each adding one- Missouri Western totaled four extra-base hits in the game. Blanton had two doubles and Emma Hoffart had one along with Houston's triple.- Blanton and Houston both went 3 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Houston also walked once.- Hawkins and Hoelscher each had two hits with Hawkins driving in two- After the game, the top six batters in the order were all batting .313 or better on the season, led by Hoelscher's .364 average- Kaili Hinds moved to 2-1 on the season with a complete game. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits, four walks and two Griffon errors. She also struck out five.UP NEXTMissouri Western plays a doubleheader against Missouri S&amp;T (3-5) beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday in Joplin.--- MWSU Athletics ---

MWSU softball defeats Missouri Southern Friday 9-3

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat men's basketball team secured a 69-61 senior night victory over the visiting Washburn University Ichabods.

Northwest won its 20th consecutive game overall and 33rd straight in Bearcat Arena on a night when it shot 40.0% from the floor. The Bearcats moved their season mark to 28-1 and 18-1 in MIAA play, while the Ichabods fell to 16-11 overall and 11-7 in league action.

Senior Ryan Hawkins collected her 20th career double-double with game highs of 24 points and 11 rebounds. It was Hawkins 24th career 20-point scoring game as a Bearcat. Hawkins was a perfect 9-of-9 at the foul line and was credited with five steals. 

Sophomore Diego Bernard tallied 16 points and six rebounds. Bernard went 7-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three-point range. 

Freshmen Wes Dreamer came up big off the bench as he contributed with 13 points and four rebounds. 

Sophomore Trevor Hudgins was held to single-digit scoring for the first time in 11 games, but was able to amass 12 assists and no turnovers as he played all 40 minutes. Hudgins grabbed four rebounds and notched three steals.

Northwest bounced out to a 13-6 lead with the help of two three-pointers from Hawkins. However, after that three from Hawkins, Washburn went on a 29-10 run and opened up a 12-point advantage at 35-23. Northwest managed only two made field goals in the final seven and a half minutes of the first half. The Ichabods became the fifth team to lead the Bearcats at the half this season by the count of 35-26.

A Bernard dunk ignited the 2,012 fans in Bearcat Arena with 14:53 to play as it pulled Northwest to within 40-37. Northwest eventually took its first lead of the second half on a Dreamer triple from the top of the key with 10:00 to play in the game. Hudgins only basket of the game was a three-pointer that put Northwest on top 55-52 with 7:50 on the clock. Hudgins would knot the score at 59-59 with 3:39 to play after he sank a pair of free throws.

The Bearcats took the lead for good at 62-59 on a conventional three-point play from Hawkins with 2:55 left. Washburn's Drew Maschoff scored on a layup to trim the Bearcat lead to 64-61 with :54.6 to play. Hawkins answered on the other end with a post-up bucket that came with :31.7 left. Dreamer then buried 3-of-4 free throws in the final :16.6 seconds to clinch the eight-point win.

Northwest has earned the No. 1 seed for the MIAA Tournament set for March 4-8 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. Northwest will play in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 6 p.m. against the winner of the No. 8-No. 9 matchup that takes place on Wednesday.

NOTES: Northwest's seniors Tyler Dougherty, Kirk Finley and Ryan Welty collected the program's 128th win over the past four seasons to set the all-time wins mark for players in the program ... the Bearcat senior class has gone 128-6 over the past four seasons ... Northwest is 66-1 over the past two seasons (38-0 in 2018-19; 28-1 in 2019-20) ... Northwest is 16-0 at home this season ... since the start of the 2011-12 season, Northwest has compiled a home record of 125-9 ... Northwest has won 50 of its last 51 home MIAA contests - a stretch that began Jan. 14, 2015 ... over the past seven seasons, Northwest is 121-15 in MIAA games ... over the past four seasons, Northwest is 71-5 in MIAA contests ... Northwest has won 11 straight matchups against Washburn ... Northwest is 5-0 when trailing at the half this season ... Northwest tied for its second-worst shooting performance of the season by hitting only 40.0% of its field goals (low - 36.5% at Central Missouri) ... after committing six first-half turnovers, Northwest turned it over only once in the second half ... Washburn won the rebounding battle, 35-33 ... Northwest tallied 10 steals - its fourth double-digit steal total this season.

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat men's basketball team secured a 69-61 senior night victory over the visiting Washburn University Ichabods.Northwest won its 20th consecutive game overall and 33rd straight in Bearcat Arena on a night when it shot 40.0% from the floor. The Bearcats moved their season mark to 28-1 and 18-1 in MIAA play, while the Ichabods fell to 16-11 overall and 11-7 in league action.Senior Ryan Hawkins collected her 20th career double-double with game highs of 24 points and 11 rebounds. It was Hawkins 24th career 20-point scoring game as a Bearcat. Hawkins was a perfect 9-of-9 at the foul line and was credited with five steals. Sophomore Diego Bernard tallied 16 points and six rebounds. Bernard went 7-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three-point range. Freshmen Wes Dreamer came up big off the bench as he contributed with 13 points and four rebounds. Sophomore Trevor Hudgins was held to single-digit scoring for the first time in 11 games, but was able to amass 12 assists and no turnovers as he played all 40 minutes. Hudgins grabbed four rebounds and notched three steals.Northwest bounced out to a 13-6 lead with the help of two three-pointers from Hawkins. However, after that three from Hawkins, Washburn went on a 29-10 run and opened up a 12-point advantage at 35-23. Northwest managed only two made field goals in the final seven and a half minutes of the first half. The Ichabods became the fifth team to lead the Bearcats at the half this season by the count of 35-26.A Bernard dunk ignited the 2,012 fans in Bearcat Arena with 14:53 to play as it pulled Northwest to within 40-37. Northwest eventually took its first lead of the second half on a Dreamer triple from the top of the key with 10:00 to play in the game. Hudgins only basket of the game was a three-pointer that put Northwest on top 55-52 with 7:50 on the clock. Hudgins would knot the score at 59-59 with 3:39 to play after he sank a pair of free throws.The Bearcats took the lead for good at 62-59 on a conventional three-point play from Hawkins with 2:55 left. Washburn's Drew Maschoff scored on a layup to trim the Bearcat lead to 64-61 with :54.6 to play. Hawkins answered on the other end with a post-up bucket that came with :31.7 left. Dreamer then buried 3-of-4 free throws in the final :16.6 seconds to clinch the eight-point win.Northwest has earned the No. 1 seed for the MIAA Tournament set for March 4-8 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. Northwest will play in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 6 p.m. against the winner of the No. 8-No. 9 matchup that takes place on Wednesday.NOTES: Northwest's seniors Tyler Dougherty, Kirk Finley and Ryan Welty collected the program's 128th win over the past four seasons to set the all-time wins mark for players in the program ... the Bearcat senior class has gone 128-6 over the past four seasons ... Northwest is 66-1 over the past two seasons (38-0 in 2018-19; 28-1 in 2019-20) ... Northwest is 16-0 at home this season ... since the start of the 2011-12 season, Northwest has compiled a home record of 125-9 ... Northwest has won 50 of its last 51 home MIAA contests - a stretch that began Jan. 14, 2015 ... over the past seven seasons, Northwest is 121-15 in MIAA games ... over the past four seasons, Northwest is 71-5 in MIAA contests ... Northwest has won 11 straight matchups against Washburn ... Northwest is 5-0 when trailing at the half this season ... Northwest tied for its second-worst shooting performance of the season by hitting only 40.0% of its field goals (low - 36.5% at Central Missouri) ... after committing six first-half turnovers, Northwest turned it over only once in the second half ... Washburn won the rebounding battle, 35-33 ... Northwest tallied 10 steals - its fourth double-digit steal total this season.--- Northwest Athletics ---

No. 1 Bearcats rally from 12-point deficit to defeat Ichabods 69-61

CLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINALS

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINALS

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 15 SEMIFINALS

CLASS 1 DISTRICT 15 SEMIFINALS

CLASS 1 DISTRICT 16 CHAMPIONSHIP

BOYS
Benton 58, Platte County 53Lee's Summit 63, Central 53

CLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINALSMaryville 66, Lathrop 51KC Central 59, St. Pius X 44CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINALSEast Buchanan 63, Bishop LeBlond 44Mid-Buchanan 62, North Andrew 52

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 15 SEMIFINALS
Plattsburg 66, Hamilton 48Gallatin 64, South Harrison 43

CLASS 1 DISTRICT 15 SEMIFINALS
Mound City 82, Osborn 49

Stewartsville 49, South Holt 33

GIRLS
CLASS 1 DISTRICT 16 CHAMPIONSHIP
Platte Valley 49, Worth County 47

Area High School Basketball Scores - Thursday, February 27

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team was defeated by the Washburn Ichabods 83-58 on Thursday. Northwest shot poorly from the field in the game going only 35.8% from the field. The Bearcats were outscored in the paint 48-16. 

Kendey Eaton led the Bearcats with 15 points and was followed by Jaelyn Haggard with 14. Erika Schlosser and Eaton led the Bearcats with three rebounds. Schlosser also led the Bearcats with six assists on the night. 

Hunter Bentley led all scorers with 22 points and Shelbe Piggie added 12 points. Bentley led the Ichabods with six rebounds, and was one of three Ichabods with a team leading three assists. 

The Bearcats will make the MIAA Tournament with a Newman loss on Saturday versus Fort Hays State. 

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team was defeated by the Washburn Ichabods 83-58 on Thursday. Northwest shot poorly from the field in the game going only 35.8% from the field. The Bearcats were outscored in the paint 48-16. Kendey Eaton led the Bearcats with 15 points and was followed by Jaelyn Haggard with 14. Erika Schlosser and Eaton led the Bearcats with three rebounds. Schlosser also led the Bearcats with six assists on the night. Hunter Bentley led all scorers with 22 points and Shelbe Piggie added 12 points. Bentley led the Ichabods with six rebounds, and was one of three Ichabods with a team leading three assists. The Bearcats will make the MIAA Tournament with a Newman loss on Saturday versus Fort Hays State. --- Northwest Athletics ---

Northwest women drop regular season finale to Washburn 83-58

COLUMBIA, Mo.&nbsp;– Mizzou Women’s Basketball (8-20, 5-10 SEC) dropped its final home game of the season, as the Tigers fell, 95-82, to Auburn on Thursday night at Mizzou Arena. Mizzou freshman&nbsp;Aijha Blackwell&nbsp;(Berkley, Mo.) was superb once again, as she recorded her fifth double-double in the last six games with a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds.

After a back-and-forth first half, Auburn took control in the third quarter, as they outscored Mizzou, 34-21. Auburn began its run early, as they scored 21 points in the first four minutes of the quarter to grab a 14-point lead at 60-46 with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blackwell played one of her most productive games of the season, as she scored a career-high 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 shooting from the three-point line. Blackwell recorded her sixth double-double this season with a team-high 11 rebounds and added a career-high seven assists.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Playing in her final game at Mizzou Arena, senior guard&nbsp;Amber Smith&nbsp;(Shreveport, La.) scored 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Freshman forward&nbsp;Hayley Frank&nbsp;(Strafford, Mo.) scored 12 points, her fifth consecutive game in double figures.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mizzou shot 47.5 percent (28-of-59) from the field, the 18th&nbsp;time this season the Tigers have shot 40 percent or better from the field.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As a team, Mizzou dished out 20 assists, matching a season high.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mizzou snagged a season-high 14 steals, as senior&nbsp;Jordan Chavis&nbsp;(Lexington, N.C.) and junior guard&nbsp;Nadia Green&nbsp;(Chicago, Ill.) led the way with four each.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blackwell paced the Tigers, tallying a career-high 27 points while setting career-highs with four three-pointers and nine field goals.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blackwell recorded her sixth double-double of the season as she snagged 11 rebounds, her sixth time this season grabbing 10 or more boards. It is also her fifth double-double in the last six games.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blackwell dished out a career high seven assists, her most since she dished out six against Kansas City (Dec. 8).

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Green produced a career-high four steals in the game, while matching a career-high with 11 points.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Green shot 5-of-8 from the free throw line, matching a career-high in free throws made.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Smith joined Mizzou's top-10 list all-time with 123 career three-pointers, matching Julie Helm (123, 1995-00).

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Smith tallied 11 points, her 17th&nbsp;game this season in double figures.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Frank put up 12 points, recording her fifth consecutive game and her 20th&nbsp;game overall in double-figures this season.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chavis drained two three-pointers in the game to bring her career total to 143, which ranks fifth all-time in program history, as she surpassed Carlynn Savant (142, 2003-07).

Next, Mizzou will close out the regular season on Sunday, as the Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama on Sunday, March 1. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:40 p.m.

COLUMBIA, Mo.&nbsp;– Mizzou Women’s Basketball (8-20, 5-10 SEC) dropped its final home game of the season, as the Tigers fell, 95-82, to Auburn on Thursday night at Mizzou Arena. Mizzou freshman&nbsp;Aijha Blackwell&nbsp;(Berkley, Mo.) was superb once again, as she recorded her fifth double-double in the last six games with a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds.TURNING POINTAfter a back-and-forth first half, Auburn took control in the third quarter, as they outscored Mizzou, 34-21. Auburn began its run early, as they scored 21 points in the first four minutes of the quarter to grab a 14-point lead at 60-46 with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter.TOP TIGERS·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blackwell played one of her most productive games of the season, as she scored a career-high 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 shooting from the three-point line. Blackwell recorded her sixth double-double this season with a team-high 11 rebounds and added a career-high seven assists.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Playing in her final game at Mizzou Arena, senior guard&nbsp;Amber Smith&nbsp;(Shreveport, La.) scored 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Freshman forward&nbsp;Hayley Frank&nbsp;(Strafford, Mo.) scored 12 points, her fifth consecutive game in double figures.NOTES·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mizzou shot 47.5 percent (28-of-59) from the field, the 18th&nbsp;time this season the Tigers have shot 40 percent or better from the field.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As a team, Mizzou dished out 20 assists, matching a season high.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mizzou snagged a season-high 14 steals, as senior&nbsp;Jordan Chavis&nbsp;(Lexington, N.C.) and junior guard&nbsp;Nadia Green&nbsp;(Chicago, Ill.) led the way with four each.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blackwell paced the Tigers, tallying a career-high 27 points while setting career-highs with four three-pointers and nine field goals.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blackwell recorded her sixth double-double of the season as she snagged 11 rebounds, her sixth time this season grabbing 10 or more boards. It is also her fifth double-double in the last six games.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Blackwell dished out a career high seven assists, her most since she dished out six against Kansas City (Dec. 8).·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Green produced a career-high four steals in the game, while matching a career-high with 11 points.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Green shot 5-of-8 from the free throw line, matching a career-high in free throws made.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Smith joined Mizzou's top-10 list all-time with 123 career three-pointers, matching Julie Helm (123, 1995-00).·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Smith tallied 11 points, her 17th&nbsp;game this season in double figures.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Frank put up 12 points, recording her fifth consecutive game and her 20th&nbsp;game overall in double-figures this season.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chavis drained two three-pointers in the game to bring her career total to 143, which ranks fifth all-time in program history, as she surpassed Carlynn Savant (142, 2003-07).UP NEXTNext, Mizzou will close out the regular season on Sunday, as the Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama on Sunday, March 1. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:40 p.m.--- Mizzou Athletics ---

Mizzou women lose to Auburn 95-82 in final home game

ATLANTA – Kansas junior Marcus Garrett is one of 10 student-athletes named a semifinalist for Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.

Garrett, who hails from Dallas, is tied for third in the conference in steals at 1.9 per outing. He is also averaging 1.9 thefts in Big 12 play, which leads the league. Garrett has collected 3.1 steals over his last seven games, all victories for No. 1 Kansas (25-3, 14-1). The KU guard has tallied multiple steals in 14 outings this season and has posted four or more thefts in six contests. He is also averaging five defensive rebounds over his last 10 games, second on the team only to Udoka Azubuike (7.8) in that span.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club will announce the four finalists on March 12. The award is voted on by a national panel of media with the final announcement being made on Sunday, April 5, at the Naismith Awards Brunch in Atlanta.

2020 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalists

ATLANTA – Kansas junior Marcus Garrett is one of 10 student-athletes named a semifinalist for Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year Award, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.Garrett, who hails from Dallas, is tied for third in the conference in steals at 1.9 per outing. He is also averaging 1.9 thefts in Big 12 play, which leads the league. Garrett has collected 3.1 steals over his last seven games, all victories for No. 1 Kansas (25-3, 14-1). The KU guard has tallied multiple steals in 14 outings this season and has posted four or more thefts in six contests. He is also averaging five defensive rebounds over his last 10 games, second on the team only to Udoka Azubuike (7.8) in that span.The Atlanta Tipoff Club will announce the four finalists on March 12. The award is voted on by a national panel of media with the final announcement being made on Sunday, April 5, at the Naismith Awards Brunch in Atlanta.2020 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year SemifinalistsName, Position, SchoolMamadi Diakite, F, VirginiaMARCUS GARRETT, G, KANSASRomano Gill, C, Seton HallJacob Gilyard, G, RichmondAshton Hagans, G, KentuckyTre Jones, G, DukeDavion Mitchell, G, BaylorZavier Simpson, G, MichiganAaron Thompson, G, ButlerMark Vital, G/F, Baylor--- KU Athletics ---

KU's Garrett named semifinalist for Naismith Trophy Defensive Player of the Year

BOYS Lafayette 60 (16-9) Van Horn 51 CLASS 1 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL Jefferson 65 Albany 25 CLASS 1 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL Worth County 62 Stanberry 51 GIRLS Benton 45 (9-16) Raytown South 15 CLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL Maryville 55 Lawson 49 CLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL St. Pius X 50 Cameron 44 CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL East Buchanan 48 North Platte 31 CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL East Atchison 68 Mid-Buchanan 56 CLASS 1 DISTRICT 15 SEMIFINAL South Holt 42 King City 31 CLASS 1 DISTRICT 15 SEMIFINAL DeKalb 43 Osborn 31

BOYS Lafayette 60 (16-9) Van Horn 51 CLASS 1 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL Jefferson 65 Albany 25 CLASS 1 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL Worth County 62 Stanberry 51 GIRLS Benton 45 (9-16) Raytown South 15 CLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL Maryville 55 Lawson 49 CLASS 3 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL St. Pius X 50 Cameron 44 CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL East Buchanan 48 North Platte 31 CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 SEMIFINAL East Atchison 68 Mid-Buchanan 56 CLASS 1 DISTRICT 15 SEMIFINAL South Holt 42 King City 31 CLASS 1 DISTRICT 15 SEMIFINAL DeKalb 43 Osborn 31

Area High School Basketball Scores - Wednesday, Feb. 26

The Northwest Missouri State Bearcat men's basketball team solidified its hold on the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Division II Central Region rankings on Wednesday.

The Bearcats (27-1 overall, 23-1 vs. Div. II opponents, 22-1 vs. Central Region foes) are looking to serve as the Central Region host for the fourth consecutive season. Northwest has won two of the last three NCAA Division II national championships (2017, 2019).

The 2020 Central Region Tournament will be held March 14 (first round, March 15 (second round) and March 17 (regional final). The top eight teams in each region will qualify for the 2020 NCAA Division II Tournament.

Northwest has secured victories this season over No. 2 Southern Nazarene (W, 100-88, No. 5 Rogers State (W, 74-55, No. 6 Missouri Southern (W, 96-75; W, 77-76).

The Bearcats will close out the regular season at home Thursday night against the Washburn Ichabods. Northwest will honor its three senior student-athletes (Tyler Dougherty, Kirk Finley, Ryan Welty) prior to the 7:30 p.m. tip in Bearcat Arena.

CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS  D-II Record  Region Record

1 Northwest Missouri State&nbsp; 23-1&nbsp; &nbsp;22-1

2 Southern Nazarene&nbsp; 20-7&nbsp; 20-7

3 Southeastern Oklahoma State&nbsp; 18-7&nbsp; 17-6

6 Missouri Southern State&nbsp; 16-7&nbsp; 16-6

The Northwest Missouri State Bearcat men's basketball team solidified its hold on the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Division II Central Region rankings on Wednesday.The Bearcats (27-1 overall, 23-1 vs. Div. II opponents, 22-1 vs. Central Region foes) are looking to serve as the Central Region host for the fourth consecutive season. Northwest has won two of the last three NCAA Division II national championships (2017, 2019).The 2020 Central Region Tournament will be held March 14 (first round, March 15 (second round) and March 17 (regional final). The top eight teams in each region will qualify for the 2020 NCAA Division II Tournament.Northwest has secured victories this season over No. 2 Southern Nazarene (W, 100-88, No. 5 Rogers State (W, 74-55, No. 6 Missouri Southern (W, 96-75; W, 77-76).The Bearcats will close out the regular season at home Thursday night against the Washburn Ichabods. Northwest will honor its three senior student-athletes (Tyler Dougherty, Kirk Finley, Ryan Welty) prior to the 7:30 p.m. tip in Bearcat Arena.CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS D-II Record Region Record1 Northwest Missouri State&nbsp; 23-1&nbsp; &nbsp;22-12 Southern Nazarene&nbsp; 20-7&nbsp; 20-73 Southeastern Oklahoma State&nbsp; 18-7&nbsp; 17-64 Northern State&nbsp; 22-6&nbsp; 22-65 Rogers State&nbsp; 19-5&nbsp; 19-56 Missouri Southern State&nbsp; 16-7&nbsp; 16-67 Minnesota Duluth&nbsp; 20-8&nbsp; 19-88 Oklahoma Baptist&nbsp; 17-8&nbsp; 17-89 Henderson State&nbsp; 17-7&nbsp; 17-710 Sioux Falls&nbsp; 20-7&nbsp; 20-7--- Northwest Athletics ---

Northwest men remain No. 1 in latest Central Region rankings

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Xavier Pinson scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half, and the Missouri Tigers beat Vanderbilt 61-52 Wednesday night for their first Southeastern Conference road win this season.

The Tigers (14-14, 6-9) had not won away from Columbus since a victory at Georgia on March 6, 2019. Now Missouri has won four straight against Vanderbilt giving the Tigers their longest current winning streak against any SEC team. Third-year coach Cuonzo Martin also improved to 6-2 all-time against the Commodores.

Vanderbilt (9-19, 1-14) lost its sixth straight after leading by as many as nine in the first half. The Commodores went cold making only one bucket in 12:27 spanning the end of the first half and deep into the second.

Scotty Pippen Jr. led Vanderbilt with 19 points, and Saben Lee added 14.

Vanderbilt jumped out to a 28-17 lead thanks to Pippen scoring 15 in the first half, his last coming with 3:59 left. But the Commodores went cold and didn’t make another bucket the rest of the half. Missouri scored seven straight to pull within 28-27 at halftime.

The Commodores’ shooting woes continued in the second half with Lee’s layup with 19:06 the only made bucket by Vanderbilt until walk-on Drew Weikert’s layup with 11:32 left. Missouri went on an 11-1 run and led by as much as 42-33 on a three-point play by Nikko with 13:31 to go.

Vanderbilt stayed close at the free throw line. Ejike Obinna dunked to pull Vanderbilt within 53-48 with 3:40 remaining. But he missed the free throw after being fouled, and the Commodores never got closer down the stretch as Missouri padded the lead to as many as 10 in the final two minutes.

Missouri: The Tigers came in ranked 22nd nationally defending the 3, allowing teams to shoot only 29.4%. They held Vanderbilt to 19% (4 of 21) outside the arc. ... They also outrebounded Vanderbilt 42-27.

Vanderbilt: The Commodores rank 10th in the SEC at the free throw line, shooting 69.3%. They shot only 55% against Missouri (16 of 29). They were even worse shooting from the floor in the second half, making only 6 of 18 (33%).

Missouri hosts Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon.

Vanderbilt starts a two-game road swing Saturday at Ole Miss.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Xavier Pinson scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half, and the Missouri Tigers beat Vanderbilt 61-52 Wednesday night for their first Southeastern Conference road win this season.The Tigers (14-14, 6-9) had not won away from Columbus since a victory at Georgia on March 6, 2019. Now Missouri has won four straight against Vanderbilt giving the Tigers their longest current winning streak against any SEC team. Third-year coach Cuonzo Martin also improved to 6-2 all-time against the Commodores.Reed Nikko added 14 points for Missouri.Vanderbilt (9-19, 1-14) lost its sixth straight after leading by as many as nine in the first half. The Commodores went cold making only one bucket in 12:27 spanning the end of the first half and deep into the second.Scotty Pippen Jr. led Vanderbilt with 19 points, and Saben Lee added 14.Vanderbilt jumped out to a 28-17 lead thanks to Pippen scoring 15 in the first half, his last coming with 3:59 left. But the Commodores went cold and didn’t make another bucket the rest of the half. Missouri scored seven straight to pull within 28-27 at halftime.The Commodores’ shooting woes continued in the second half with Lee’s layup with 19:06 the only made bucket by Vanderbilt until walk-on Drew Weikert’s layup with 11:32 left. Missouri went on an 11-1 run and led by as much as 42-33 on a three-point play by Nikko with 13:31 to go.Vanderbilt stayed close at the free throw line. Ejike Obinna dunked to pull Vanderbilt within 53-48 with 3:40 remaining. But he missed the free throw after being fouled, and the Commodores never got closer down the stretch as Missouri padded the lead to as many as 10 in the final two minutes.BIG PICTUREMissouri: The Tigers came in ranked 22nd nationally defending the 3, allowing teams to shoot only 29.4%. They held Vanderbilt to 19% (4 of 21) outside the arc. ... They also outrebounded Vanderbilt 42-27.Vanderbilt: The Commodores rank 10th in the SEC at the free throw line, shooting 69.3%. They shot only 55% against Missouri (16 of 29). They were even worse shooting from the floor in the second half, making only 6 of 18 (33%).UP NEXTMissouri hosts Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon.Vanderbilt starts a two-game road swing Saturday at Ole Miss.--- Associated Press ---

Missouri beats Vandy 61-52 for 1st SEC road win of season

ST. JOSEPH - The Missouri Western men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season at home as they fell to No. 1 Northwest Missouri State 92-69 Tuesday inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.  The Griffons drop to 16-13 and 12-6 in the MIAA, while the Bearcats have won 19 straight this season and 16 in-a-row against MWSU.  Northwest improves to 27-1 and 17-1 in league play.

The two teams were trading baskets early in front of an MWSU Fieldhouse-record crowd of 4,256 fans. Missouri Western's last lead came with 13 minutes remaining in the first half. The Griffons were up by three before Northwest went on an 18-6 run to build a nine-point lead. The MIAA champions then got hot and led by as many as 20 before taking a 44-26 lead to halftime. It didn't get much better for the Griffons in the second half when Northwest shot 69.6% from the field, building its largest lead of 31 points with 4:15 left.

- It was the first loss in the MWSU Fieldhouse for the Griffons this season. 

- MWSU will take an 11-1 home record into the regular season finale this Saturday against Washburn.

- Already without starter Will Eames due to an injury, Tyrell Carroll picked up two quick fouls and played just 9:23 in the first half

- Northwest went 6 of 9 from 3-point range in the first half and went 8 for 9 at the foul line before halftime

- In the game, the Bearcats took 22 free throws and made 20 of them, while the Griffons went 8 for 10 on the night at the line

- MWSU went 7 of 29 from 3-point range with five of those makes coming in the second half

- Missouri Western scored 43 of its 69 points in the second half

- Beau Baker scored 10 first-half points on 5 of 8 shooting, but was held scoreless in the second half

- Reese Glover led MWSU with 18 points on 7 of 12 shooting, 4 of 8 from long range

- Carroll ended up with 14 points, 12 in the second half to go with a team-high seven rebounds and four assists

- The Griffons blocked five Bearcat shots on the night, two by Baker

The Griffons end the regular season on Saturday against Washburn at 3:30 p.m.

ST. JOSEPH - The Missouri Western men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season at home as they fell to No. 1 Northwest Missouri State 92-69 Tuesday inside the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons drop to 16-13 and 12-6 in the MIAA, while the Bearcats have won 19 straight this season and 16 in-a-row against MWSU. Northwest improves to 27-1 and 17-1 in league play.The two teams were trading baskets early in front of an MWSU Fieldhouse-record crowd of 4,256 fans. Missouri Western's last lead came with 13 minutes remaining in the first half. The Griffons were up by three before Northwest went on an 18-6 run to build a nine-point lead. The MIAA champions then got hot and led by as many as 20 before taking a 44-26 lead to halftime. It didn't get much better for the Griffons in the second half when Northwest shot 69.6% from the field, building its largest lead of 31 points with 4:15 left.NOTABLES- It was the first loss in the MWSU Fieldhouse for the Griffons this season. - MWSU will take an 11-1 home record into the regular season finale this Saturday against Washburn.- Already without starter Will Eames due to an injury, Tyrell Carroll picked up two quick fouls and played just 9:23 in the first half- Northwest went 6 of 9 from 3-point range in the first half and went 8 for 9 at the foul line before halftime- In the game, the Bearcats took 22 free throws and made 20 of them, while the Griffons went 8 for 10 on the night at the line- MWSU went 7 of 29 from 3-point range with five of those makes coming in the second half- Missouri Western scored 43 of its 69 points in the second half- Beau Baker scored 10 first-half points on 5 of 8 shooting, but was held scoreless in the second half- Reese Glover led MWSU with 18 points on 7 of 12 shooting, 4 of 8 from long range- Carroll ended up with 14 points, 12 in the second half to go with a team-high seven rebounds and four assists- The Griffons blocked five Bearcat shots on the night, two by BakerUP NEXTThe Griffons end the regular season on Saturday against Washburn at 3:30 p.m.--- MWSU Athletics ---

Griffons suffer first loss at home to No. 1 Bearcats 92-69

ST. JOSEPH - The Missouri Western women's basketball team led wire-to-wire against Northwest Missouri State Tuesday as they defeated the Bearcats 77-49.  The Griffons improve to 20-7 this season and 12-6 in the MIAA, while Northwest drops to 11-16 and 6-12 in league play.

Missouri Western jumped out to a 21-10 lead after the first quarter by shooting 66.7% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. After a low-scoring third quarter, Northwest got red-hot from 3-point range and outscored the Griffons 27-19 in the quarter. The 27 Bearcat points in the third were five more than Northwest scored in the other three quarters combined. A 19-2 Griffon run to start the fourth quarter iced the game for Missouri Western.

- The Griffons have now won nine-straight over their rivals in St. Joseph and have won 12 of the last 13 in the series overall

- MWSU out-rebounded the Bearcats 40-25 and outscored them 42-16 in the paint

- The Griffons shot 66.7% in the first quarter, 61.5% in the third quarter and 57.1% in the fourth quarter

- MWSU outscored Northwest 25-6 in the fourth quarter

- Corbyn Cunningham led all scorers with a career-high 26 points on 10 of 17 shooting. She added a career-high 16 rebounds.

- Anastacia Johnson scored 14 points with a team-high five assists

- Kylee Williams and Chris Wilson added 10 points each

The Griffons end the regular season on Saturday against Washburn at 1:30 p.m. --- MWSU Athletics ---

ST. JOSEPH - The Missouri Western women's basketball team led wire-to-wire against Northwest Missouri State Tuesday as they defeated the Bearcats 77-49. The Griffons improve to 20-7 this season and 12-6 in the MIAA, while Northwest drops to 11-16 and 6-12 in league play.Missouri Western jumped out to a 21-10 lead after the first quarter by shooting 66.7% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. After a low-scoring third quarter, Northwest got red-hot from 3-point range and outscored the Griffons 27-19 in the quarter. The 27 Bearcat points in the third were five more than Northwest scored in the other three quarters combined. A 19-2 Griffon run to start the fourth quarter iced the game for Missouri Western.NOTABLES- The Griffons have now won nine-straight over their rivals in St. Joseph and have won 12 of the last 13 in the series overall- MWSU out-rebounded the Bearcats 40-25 and outscored them 42-16 in the paint- The Griffons shot 66.7% in the first quarter, 61.5% in the third quarter and 57.1% in the fourth quarter- MWSU outscored Northwest 25-6 in the fourth quarter- Corbyn Cunningham led all scorers with a career-high 26 points on 10 of 17 shooting. She added a career-high 16 rebounds.- Anastacia Johnson scored 14 points with a team-high five assists- Kylee Williams and Chris Wilson added 10 points eachUP NEXTThe Griffons end the regular season on Saturday against Washburn at 1:30 p.m. --- MWSU Athletics ---

Missouri Western women pull away to rout Northwest 77-49

BOYS CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 TOURNAMENT - QUARTERFINAL Bishop LeBlond 54 (9-17) East Atchison 40 CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 TOURNAMENT - QUARTERFINAL Mid-Buchanan 78 St. Joseph Christian 24 (12-13) Liberty 71 OT Central 65 (8-16, 2-9 Suburban) GIRLS Liberty 54 Central 48 (14-11, 6-6 Suburban) Savannah 48 Lafayette 30 (4-20, 1-6 MEC)

BOYS CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 TOURNAMENT - QUARTERFINAL Bishop LeBlond 54 (9-17) East Atchison 40 CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 TOURNAMENT - QUARTERFINAL Mid-Buchanan 78 St. Joseph Christian 24 (12-13) Liberty 71 OT Central 65 (8-16, 2-9 Suburban) GIRLS Liberty 54 Central 48 (14-11, 6-6 Suburban) Savannah 48 Lafayette 30 (4-20, 1-6 MEC)

City High School Basketball Scores - Tuesday, February 25

WACO, Texas -- Baylor coach Scott Drew was a little worried after warm-ups that his team might come out flat, so he re-emphasized the importance of the game and getting off to a good start. The No. 2 Bears then went out and quickly rebounded from their first Big 12 loss, with five players scoring in double figures in their most lopsided conference win this season, 85-66 over Kansas State on Tuesday night. "After the Kansas game, everybody was a little worried we were going to have a bad game because every time people play bad after Kansas," Baylor guard MaCio Teague said. "We put it behind us and we were 0-0." The Bears (25-2, 14-1 Big 12) jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the first five minutes and never trailed, building as much as a 28-point lead while scoring 50 points by halftime. That came three days after losing at home to now-No. 1 Kansas, a 64-61 setback that ended their conference-record 23-game winning streak and their five-week run as the nation's top-ranked team. "We were kind of hoping they wouldn't be ready to play, but obviously they were ready to play," Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said. "Some of it is our defense, not quite where we have been in the past, some of it is they made some tough shots." Cartier Diarra had 19 points for Kansas State (9-19, 2-13, which is 0-8 in February and has lost all eight of its conference road games. DaJuan Gordon had 12 points and Mike McGuirl scored 10. Matthew Mayer scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Bears, and Jared Butler's 16 included seven in a row in that quick start -- a 3-pointer, two free throws and a fast-break jumper. Butler was 4 of 5 on 3-pointers as Baylor made 13 shots from long range. Davion Mitchell (14 points, 10 assists) and Freddie Gillespie (10 points, 11 rebounds) both had double-doubles while Teague had 13 points. "Coaches are always worried about something. How we would respond and come out and play. And I think that's one of the strengths of our team all year long is we've shown up, we've played, we've competed," Drew said. "There was no mental lapse or letdown after our last home game." BIG PICTURE Kansas State: The Big 12 co-champions last season, the Wildcats first lost three seniors from that team and have since been plagued by injuries. They were down 34 points with 4 minutes to go before finishing this game on a 16-1 run, when Baylor went without a field goal with its starters on the bench. The Wildcats did finish with a 31-30 rebounding margin. Baylor: The Bears, who are 13-1 at home this season, continue their push for the program's first conference title, and kept the pace with Kansas after the Jayhawks beat Oklahoma State by 25 points on Monday night. ... Baylor shot only 53% from the free throw line in the loss to Kansas, but was 16 of 18 (88.9%) against the Wildcats. NO TRISTAN Baylor was without forward Tristan Clark, who missed his sixth game this season because of his lingering knee soreness. He had played in the past eight games, with double-figure scoring in the last three. He missed the final 20 games last year after a left knee injury that led to season-ending surgery. "Tristan, he did a great job on the bench supporting guys, but he just wasn't able to go tonight," Drew said. "His (knee) is just always day-to-day. You just never know how it's going to be." TOP TWO GUARANTEE Baylor can finish no worse than second place alone in the Big 12 after its latest win. The Bears twice have finished tied for second in the regular season standings, but were the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 tournaments in 2010 and 2017. The last time they finished alone in second place in a league play was in the Southwest Conference in 1987. CENTURY START Xavier Sneed made his 100th career start for Kansas State, and fouled out while playing 23 minutes. He was 1 of 11 shooting, including 1 of 5 on 3-pointers. He made all four of his free throws. UP NEXT Kansas State is home Saturday against No. 1 Kansas. The Jayhawks won by 21 points when the last meeting between the Sunflower State rivals ended with an ugly brawl on Jan. 21. Baylor travels about 90 miles north on Saturday to play at TCU, which the Bears beat by 16 on Feb. 1. --- Associated Press ---

WACO, Texas -- Baylor coach Scott Drew was a little worried after warm-ups that his team might come out flat, so he re-emphasized the importance of the game and getting off to a good start. The No. 2 Bears then went out and quickly rebounded from their first Big 12 loss, with five players scoring in double figures in their most lopsided conference win this season, 85-66 over Kansas State on Tuesday night. "After the Kansas game, everybody was a little worried we were going to have a bad game because every time people play bad after Kansas," Baylor guard MaCio Teague said. "We put it behind us and we were 0-0." The Bears (25-2, 14-1 Big 12) jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the first five minutes and never trailed, building as much as a 28-point lead while scoring 50 points by halftime. That came three days after losing at home to now-No. 1 Kansas, a 64-61 setback that ended their conference-record 23-game winning streak and their five-week run as the nation's top-ranked team. "We were kind of hoping they wouldn't be ready to play, but obviously they were ready to play," Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said. "Some of it is our defense, not quite where we have been in the past, some of it is they made some tough shots." Cartier Diarra had 19 points for Kansas State (9-19, 2-13, which is 0-8 in February and has lost all eight of its conference road games. DaJuan Gordon had 12 points and Mike McGuirl scored 10. Matthew Mayer scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Bears, and Jared Butler's 16 included seven in a row in that quick start -- a 3-pointer, two free throws and a fast-break jumper. Butler was 4 of 5 on 3-pointers as Baylor made 13 shots from long range. Davion Mitchell (14 points, 10 assists) and Freddie Gillespie (10 points, 11 rebounds) both had double-doubles while Teague had 13 points. "Coaches are always worried about something. How we would respond and come out and play. And I think that's one of the strengths of our team all year long is we've shown up, we've played, we've competed," Drew said. "There was no mental lapse or letdown after our last home game." BIG PICTURE Kansas State: The Big 12 co-champions last season, the Wildcats first lost three seniors from that team and have since been plagued by injuries. They were down 34 points with 4 minutes to go before finishing this game on a 16-1 run, when Baylor went without a field goal with its starters on the bench. The Wildcats did finish with a 31-30 rebounding margin. Baylor: The Bears, who are 13-1 at home this season, continue their push for the program's first conference title, and kept the pace with Kansas after the Jayhawks beat Oklahoma State by 25 points on Monday night. ... Baylor shot only 53% from the free throw line in the loss to Kansas, but was 16 of 18 (88.9%) against the Wildcats. NO TRISTAN Baylor was without forward Tristan Clark, who missed his sixth game this season because of his lingering knee soreness. He had played in the past eight games, with double-figure scoring in the last three. He missed the final 20 games last year after a left knee injury that led to season-ending surgery. "Tristan, he did a great job on the bench supporting guys, but he just wasn't able to go tonight," Drew said. "His (knee) is just always day-to-day. You just never know how it's going to be." TOP TWO GUARANTEE Baylor can finish no worse than second place alone in the Big 12 after its latest win. The Bears twice have finished tied for second in the regular season standings, but were the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 tournaments in 2010 and 2017. The last time they finished alone in second place in a league play was in the Southwest Conference in 1987. CENTURY START Xavier Sneed made his 100th career start for Kansas State, and fouled out while playing 23 minutes. He was 1 of 11 shooting, including 1 of 5 on 3-pointers. He made all four of his free throws. UP NEXT Kansas State is home Saturday against No. 1 Kansas. The Jayhawks won by 21 points when the last meeting between the Sunflower State rivals ended with an ugly brawl on Jan. 21. Baylor travels about 90 miles north on Saturday to play at TCU, which the Bears beat by 16 on Feb. 1. --- Associated Press ---

K-State gets blown out at No. 2 Baylor 85-66

VALPARAISO, Ind. -- Donovan Clay scored a season-high 22 points, Ryan Fazekas added 20 more and Valparaiso beat Missouri State 89-74 on Tuesday night.

Ben Krikke and Daniel Sackey each scored 14 points for Valparaiso (16-14, 9-8 Missouri Valley Conference) in a game between two teams scrapping for a first-round bye in the upcoming MVC tournament. With the loss, Missouri State will need to win against Southern Illinois along with a Valparaiso loss to Indiana State on Saturday to avoid the play-in round.

Gaige Prim had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Bears (14-16, 8-9). Isiaih Mosley added 13 points. Keandre Cook had 12.

Valpo broke away from a two-point halftime lead by scoring the first eight points of the second half and shooting 61% over the final period. The Bears rallied as close as 59-54 before Fazekas hit one of his five 3-pointers to ignite a 12-2 rally for Valparaiso.

Valparaiso finishes the regular season against Indiana State on the road on Saturday. Missouri State finishes out the regular season against Southern Illinois at home on Saturday.

VALPARAISO, Ind. -- Donovan Clay scored a season-high 22 points, Ryan Fazekas added 20 more and Valparaiso beat Missouri State 89-74 on Tuesday night.Ben Krikke and Daniel Sackey each scored 14 points for Valparaiso (16-14, 9-8 Missouri Valley Conference) in a game between two teams scrapping for a first-round bye in the upcoming MVC tournament. With the loss, Missouri State will need to win against Southern Illinois along with a Valparaiso loss to Indiana State on Saturday to avoid the play-in round.Gaige Prim had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Bears (14-16, 8-9). Isiaih Mosley added 13 points. Keandre Cook had 12.Valpo broke away from a two-point halftime lead by scoring the first eight points of the second half and shooting 61% over the final period. The Bears rallied as close as 59-54 before Fazekas hit one of his five 3-pointers to ignite a 12-2 rally for Valparaiso.Valparaiso finishes the regular season against Indiana State on the road on Saturday. Missouri State finishes out the regular season against Southern Illinois at home on Saturday.--- Associated Press ---

Missouri State falls at Valparaiso 89-74

A former standout Northwest Missouri State University
football player has died at the age of 29.

Head Coach Rich Wright confirmed D. J. Gnader, a
standout defensive player on the 2013 championship team, has died.

Wright Tweeted, “One of our former warriors left this
earth today far to (sic) young. DJ Gnader was a quintessential Bearcat. He was
intense, driven, and passionate. Our hearts break for his family. But I promise
Bostwick met him at heaven’s gate. RIP DJ.”

Wright refers to former Defensive Coordinator Scott Bostwick,
who was named Northwest Missouri State Head Coach, but died before he could
coach a game.

Gnader joined the Bearcat football team in 2009, after
completing an All-State career as a linebacker at Lewis Central High School in
Council Bluffs, Iowa. He was a redshirt in the 2009 season, then received a
medical redshirt in 2010. Gnader started in all 15 games in the 2013 championship
season, in which he received Third Team All-America honors as a linebacker. In
2014, Gnader was named first team All-MIAA.

No details have been released about his death.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA former standout Northwest Missouri State University
football player has died at the age of 29.Head Coach Rich Wright confirmed D. J. Gnader, a
standout defensive player on the 2013 championship team, has died.Wright Tweeted, “One of our former warriors left this
earth today far to (sic) young. DJ Gnader was a quintessential Bearcat. He was
intense, driven, and passionate. Our hearts break for his family. But I promise
Bostwick met him at heaven’s gate. RIP DJ.”Wright refers to former Defensive Coordinator Scott Bostwick,
who was named Northwest Missouri State Head Coach, but died before he could
coach a game.Gnader joined the Bearcat football team in 2009, after
completing an All-State career as a linebacker at Lewis Central High School in
Council Bluffs, Iowa. He was a redshirt in the 2009 season, then received a
medical redshirt in 2010. Gnader started in all 15 games in the 2013 championship
season, in which he received Third Team All-America honors as a linebacker. In
2014, Gnader was named first team All-MIAA.No details have been released about his death.

Former NWMSU football player dies at the age of 29

GIRLS Lafayette 58 (4-19) Excelsior Springs 27 CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 QUARTERFINAL North Platte 42 Bishop LeBlond 40 (12-14) CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 QUARTERFINAL East Atchison 66 St. Joseph Christian 34 (8-16)

GIRLS Lafayette 58 (4-19) Excelsior Springs 27 CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 QUARTERFINAL North Platte 42 Bishop LeBlond 40 (12-14) CLASS 2 DISTRICT 16 QUARTERFINAL East Atchison 66 St. Joseph Christian 34 (8-16)

City High School Basketball Scores - Monday, February 24

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Udoka Azubuike had 19 points and 16 rebounds, Ochai Agbaji added 15 points, and top-ranked Kansas avoided any chance of a letdown after its high-profile win over Baylor by blowing out Oklahoma State 83-58 on Monday night.

Devon Dotson added 11 points and Christian Braun and David McCormack had 10 apiece for the Jayhawks (25-3, 14-1, whose victory over the No. 2 Bears allowed them to retake the top spot in the AP poll earlier in the day. And the win over the Cowboys (14-14, 4-11) gave coach Bill Self's team a half-game lead over Baylor in the race for the Big 12 title.

The Jayhawks now have won five straight against the Cowboys and 22 of the last 24 games played against them in Allen Fieldhouse. They also have won 23 in a row overall, building a strong case for the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed.

Cameron McGriff led the Cowboys with 16 points, though most came with the game well out of reach. Isaac Likekele and Lindy Waters added 11 apiece as Oklahoma State was held to 39% shooting from the field.

Early on, the Cowboys' game plan was obvious: They were going to switch between man-to-man and zone defenses and continually collapse into the paint, trying their best to take away Azubuike's vast array of rim-rattling dunks.

As a result, eight of the first 11 shots Kansas hoisted up came from beyond the 3-point line.

The plan worked for a bit, but the Jayhawks methodically pushed the lead toward double digits. It finally hit that mark when McCormack swatted Likekele's layup attempt to create a run-out, and Dotson finished it by tossing up a lob that Agbaji hammered down to give Kansas a 27-17 lead with just under 6 minutes left in the first half.

Oklahoma State kept the deficit from growing into the early stages of the second half, in part because of the way it kept Dotson from getting to the bucket. The sprightly guard had just about every shot contested or blocked, and his frustration was visible when another shot was swatted just before the under-16 media timeout.

The Cowboys simply couldn't find enough offense to capitalize.

The Jayhawks eventually embarked on a 16-2 run that included 11 straight points. Two came at the foul line when Dotson was whacked in the chin by McGriff's elbow and Oklahoma State's forward was given a technical foul, and the run ended when Dotson stripped Likekele and converted a three-point play at the other end to make it 51-30 with 14:17 to go.

The Jayhawks cruised the rest of the way, allowing Self to empty his bench in the closing minutes.

Oklahoma State finished the game on an 11-0 run to make the final score appear more respectable. But the reality was that the Cowboys were never in the game after the first few minutes of the second half, when the Jayhawks began to heat up on offense and stretched their lead past 20.

Kansas committed just 10 turnovers and shot 44% from the field, despite Dotson and backcourt mate Marcus Garrett going a combined 5 of 20 from the field. The duo compensated by piling up 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Oklahoma State begins a final homestand against Iowa State on Saturday.

Kansas heads down Interstate 70 to face Kansas State on Saturday.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Udoka Azubuike had 19 points and 16 rebounds, Ochai Agbaji added 15 points, and top-ranked Kansas avoided any chance of a letdown after its high-profile win over Baylor by blowing out Oklahoma State 83-58 on Monday night.Devon Dotson added 11 points and Christian Braun and David McCormack had 10 apiece for the Jayhawks (25-3, 14-1, whose victory over the No. 2 Bears allowed them to retake the top spot in the AP poll earlier in the day. And the win over the Cowboys (14-14, 4-11) gave coach Bill Self's team a half-game lead over Baylor in the race for the Big 12 title.The Jayhawks now have won five straight against the Cowboys and 22 of the last 24 games played against them in Allen Fieldhouse. They also have won 23 in a row overall, building a strong case for the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed.Cameron McGriff led the Cowboys with 16 points, though most came with the game well out of reach. Isaac Likekele and Lindy Waters added 11 apiece as Oklahoma State was held to 39% shooting from the field.Early on, the Cowboys' game plan was obvious: They were going to switch between man-to-man and zone defenses and continually collapse into the paint, trying their best to take away Azubuike's vast array of rim-rattling dunks.As a result, eight of the first 11 shots Kansas hoisted up came from beyond the 3-point line.The plan worked for a bit, but the Jayhawks methodically pushed the lead toward double digits. It finally hit that mark when McCormack swatted Likekele's layup attempt to create a run-out, and Dotson finished it by tossing up a lob that Agbaji hammered down to give Kansas a 27-17 lead with just under 6 minutes left in the first half.Oklahoma State kept the deficit from growing into the early stages of the second half, in part because of the way it kept Dotson from getting to the bucket. The sprightly guard had just about every shot contested or blocked, and his frustration was visible when another shot was swatted just before the under-16 media timeout.The Cowboys simply couldn't find enough offense to capitalize.The Jayhawks eventually embarked on a 16-2 run that included 11 straight points. Two came at the foul line when Dotson was whacked in the chin by McGriff's elbow and Oklahoma State's forward was given a technical foul, and the run ended when Dotson stripped Likekele and converted a three-point play at the other end to make it 51-30 with 14:17 to go.The Jayhawks cruised the rest of the way, allowing Self to empty his bench in the closing minutes.BIG PICTUREOklahoma State finished the game on an 11-0 run to make the final score appear more respectable. But the reality was that the Cowboys were never in the game after the first few minutes of the second half, when the Jayhawks began to heat up on offense and stretched their lead past 20.Kansas committed just 10 turnovers and shot 44% from the field, despite Dotson and backcourt mate Marcus Garrett going a combined 5 of 20 from the field. The duo compensated by piling up 11 assists and eight rebounds.UP NEXTOklahoma State begins a final homestand against Iowa State on Saturday.Kansas heads down Interstate 70 to face Kansas State on Saturday.--- Associated Press ---

KU routs Oklahoma State 83-58 in first game back at No. 1

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ayo Dosunmu scored 18 points and freshman center Kofi Cockburn added 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead Illinois past Nebraska 71-59 on Monday.

Trent Frazier and Andres Feliz added 11 points each for Illinois (18-9, 10-6). Illinois moved into a five-way tie for second place in the Big Ten Conference.

Haanif Cheatham led Nebraska (7-20, 2-14) with 14 points. Dachon Burke Jr. scored 13 points and Yvan Ouedraogo and Thorir Thorbjarnarson had 11 each.

Nebraska was playing without second-leading scorer Cam Mack (12 points per game average, who missed the trip to Champaign with the flu.

Monday's loss was a school-record 12th consecutive loss for the Cornhuskers.

The first half was close, but Illinois went on a 6-0 run capped by a 70-foot shot at the buzzer by Frazier that was all net. The Illini led 37-31 at the break.

Nebraska outscored Illinois 15-9 to open the second half and tied the game at 46 with 15:11 left. But Illinois used its athleticism and size to put together a 21-9 run to create a 10-point cushion the Cornhuskers couldn't overcome.

Illinois was 28 of 71 from the field (29%, while Nebraska was 24 of 57 (42%).

Illinois had a tougher time than expected, but got the home win against a team they were expected to beat handily. The win keeps Illinois positioned for a post-season run.

Nebraska played well, especially in the first half, but couldn't overcome Illinois' talent, speed and defense. The loss of Mack was noticeable, despite a yeoman's job by Burke.

Illinois hopes for another key conference win when it travels to last-place Northwestern on Thursday.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ayo Dosunmu scored 18 points and freshman center Kofi Cockburn added 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead Illinois past Nebraska 71-59 on Monday.Trent Frazier and Andres Feliz added 11 points each for Illinois (18-9, 10-6). Illinois moved into a five-way tie for second place in the Big Ten Conference.Haanif Cheatham led Nebraska (7-20, 2-14) with 14 points. Dachon Burke Jr. scored 13 points and Yvan Ouedraogo and Thorir Thorbjarnarson had 11 each.Nebraska was playing without second-leading scorer Cam Mack (12 points per game average, who missed the trip to Champaign with the flu.Monday's loss was a school-record 12th consecutive loss for the Cornhuskers.The first half was close, but Illinois went on a 6-0 run capped by a 70-foot shot at the buzzer by Frazier that was all net. The Illini led 37-31 at the break.Nebraska outscored Illinois 15-9 to open the second half and tied the game at 46 with 15:11 left. But Illinois used its athleticism and size to put together a 21-9 run to create a 10-point cushion the Cornhuskers couldn't overcome.Illinois was 28 of 71 from the field (29%, while Nebraska was 24 of 57 (42%).BIG PICTUREIllinois had a tougher time than expected, but got the home win against a team they were expected to beat handily. The win keeps Illinois positioned for a post-season run.Nebraska played well, especially in the first half, but couldn't overcome Illinois' talent, speed and defense. The loss of Mack was noticeable, despite a yeoman's job by Burke.UP NEXTNebraska hosts No. 23 on Thursday.Illinois hopes for another key conference win when it travels to last-place Northwestern on Thursday.--- Associated Press ---

Nebraska loses at Illinois Monday 71-59

The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball program picked up its fourth signing for its 2020-21 recruiting class.

Isaiah Jackson, a 6-2 guard from William Chrisman High School in Independence, Missouri, will join the Bearcats for the 2020-2021 season. Last year, Jackson led the Chrisman Bears to a 20-11 record and an appearance in the MSHSAA Class 5 Quarterfinals. This year, the Bears are 13-7 and Jackson is averaging 14 points per game on 55% shooting from the field and 36% shooting from three-point range. He is also pulling in eight rebounds per game and dishing out four assists per game. On Jan. 21 against Center High School, Jackson recorded a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals.

"We are really excited about adding Isaiah to our program," McCollum said. "He does so many things on the court to help his team win. He is a great ball handler that can make plays for himself and others. On top of his offensive abilities, he is one of the top defenders in Kansas City."

2020-21 Northwest Missouri State Men's Basketball Signees Daniel Abreu 6'6" SF Springfield, Missouri/Willard Byron Alexander 6'4" SG Kansas City, Missouri/Staley Isaiah Jackson 6'2" PG Independence, Missouri/William Chrisman Spencer Schomers 6'5" SG Omaha, Nebraska/Creighton Prep

The Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball program picked up its fourth signing for its 2020-21 recruiting class.Isaiah Jackson, a 6-2 guard from William Chrisman High School in Independence, Missouri, will join the Bearcats for the 2020-2021 season. Last year, Jackson led the Chrisman Bears to a 20-11 record and an appearance in the MSHSAA Class 5 Quarterfinals. This year, the Bears are 13-7 and Jackson is averaging 14 points per game on 55% shooting from the field and 36% shooting from three-point range. He is also pulling in eight rebounds per game and dishing out four assists per game. On Jan. 21 against Center High School, Jackson recorded a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals."We are really excited about adding Isaiah to our program," McCollum said. "He does so many things on the court to help his team win. He is a great ball handler that can make plays for himself and others. On top of his offensive abilities, he is one of the top defenders in Kansas City."2020-21 Northwest Missouri State Men's Basketball Signees Daniel Abreu 6'6" SF Springfield, Missouri/Willard Byron Alexander 6'4" SG Kansas City, Missouri/Staley Isaiah Jackson 6'2" PG Independence, Missouri/William Chrisman Spencer Schomers 6'5" SG Omaha, Nebraska/Creighton Prep--- Northwest Athletics ---

Northwest men sign fourth recruit to 2020-2021 class

TOPEKA, Kan. - Three-run rallies by Sioux Falls and Wayne State (Neb.) against Griffon Softball on Sunday, left Missouri Western with two losses on its final day of the Emporia State 5-State Classic in Topeka.

Sioux Falls scored three in the fifth of the first game of the day to take down the Griffons, 3-2. Wayne State scored three in the top of the sixth and held on for a 4-3 win over MWSU.

TOPEKA, Kan. - Three-run rallies by Sioux Falls and Wayne State (Neb.) against Griffon Softball on Sunday, left Missouri Western with two losses on its final day of the Emporia State 5-State Classic in Topeka.Sioux Falls scored three in the fifth of the first game of the day to take down the Griffons, 3-2. Wayne State scored three in the top of the sixth and held on for a 4-3 win over MWSU.GAME 1Sioux Falls 3, MWSU 2Missouri Western scored twice in the third to take a 2-0 lead that held until Sioux Fall's three-run fifth. Emma Hoffart reached on an error that allowed Rachel Stewart to score the first run of the day. The Griffs kept the inning going and Sydni Hawkins put MWSU up 2-0 with an RBI single that pushed Hoffart home.Sioux Falls led off the fifth with five straight singles, the last one pushing the third run home. Olivia Goodale took over in the circle for Kelly Uthe with one out in the fifth and retired the first two batters she faced. Goodale stuck out three and walked one with one hit over the final 2.2 innings. Uthe struck out five and walked one, but gave up three earned runs on eight hits. Hawkins had two of MWSU's three hits in the game.GAME 2Wayne State 4, MWSU 3The Griffons led 3-1 after an RBI single by Hoffart in the first and a two-run single by Brea Blanton in the second. Wayne State tied the game at three with a two-run homer to left in the sixth and added a third run in the inning on an RBI single.The game ended with Griffon runners at second and third. Rian Gere led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to left and Kyle DeHook followed with her second hit of the game. Kalyn Damgaard sacrificed the runners to third with a bunt before Blanton fouled out and Lauren Houston flew out to left to end the game.Kaili Hinds took the loss, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and three walks over 5.2 innings. Goodale was perfect over 1.1 innings of relief.UP NEXTThe Griffons play five games in Joplin, Feb. 28 through March 1 in Joplin, Missouri as part of the Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament.--- MWSU Athletics ---

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