ST.
JOSEPH –&nbsp;Rogers
State came into the MWSU Fieldhouse having not lost in MIAA play and on a
five-game winning streak. It ended Saturday as the Missouri Western Men's
Basketball team (6-8, 2-1) handed the Hillcats (11-2, 3-1) their first loss
since Nov. 30, 79-67.
&nbsp;

Missouri Western ended a tight first half with a
17-7 run to take a 41-31 lead to halftime, leading for more than 33 minutes in
the game. The Griffons extended the lead to 15 with 11:27 left in the game and
cruised to their fourth home win in as many games.
&nbsp;


Missouri Western hosts Northeastern State (9-4,
2-2, Monday night in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The RiverHawks lost 76-65 at
Northwest Missouri on Saturday.

ST.
JOSEPH –&nbsp;Rogers
State came into the MWSU Fieldhouse having not lost in MIAA play and on a
five-game winning streak. It ended Saturday as the Missouri Western Men's
Basketball team (6-8, 2-1) handed the Hillcats (11-2, 3-1) their first loss
since Nov. 30, 79-67.
&nbsp;
Missouri Western ended a tight first half with a
17-7 run to take a 41-31 lead to halftime, leading for more than 33 minutes in
the game. The Griffons extended the lead to 15 with 11:27 left in the game and
cruised to their fourth home win in as many games.
&nbsp;
NOTABLES<ol>
 <li>Rogers State entered averaging
 81.8 points per game and shooting 47% from the field. The Griffons held
 the Hillcats to 67 points on 33% shooting.</li><li>Brewster Peacock entered
 averaging 12.9 points per game on 56% shooting and was limited to seven points
 on 1 of 10 shooting.</li><li>Missouri Western shot 54% from
 the field and went 16 of 20 from the free throw line.</li><li>Tyus Millhollin&nbsp;led MWSU with 21 points on 6 of 10 shooting,
 including making all eight of his free throw attempts.</li><li>Millhollin increased his
 scoring average from 8.3 to 14.7 over the past eight games, averaging 19.5
 during that stretch.</li><li>Tyrell Carroll&nbsp;scored 17 points to go with his five rebounds,
 team-high three assists, two steals and career-high three blocks.</li><li>Tyree Martin&nbsp;went 7 of 8 from the field to score 16 points
 with five rebounds.</li><li>Jaron Thames scored 13 points
 and led the team with a career-high nine rebounds.</li><li>Beau Baker&nbsp;pulled down eight rebounds to increase his team
 leading average to 7.1 per game.</li>
 </ol>&nbsp;
UP NEXT
Missouri Western hosts Northeastern State (9-4,
2-2, Monday night in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The RiverHawks lost 76-65 at
Northwest Missouri on Saturday.--- MWSU Athletics ---

Griffons upset Rogers State 79-67

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat men's basketball team held off the Northeastern State University RiverHawks in Bearcat Arena, 76-65. Sophomore Trevor Hudgins buried 6-of-8 three-pointers and scored 20 points to go along with seven assists in leading the Bearcats to their second MIAA victory of the season. Northwest is 12-1 overall and 2-1 in MIAA play, while Northeastern State is 9-4 overall and 2-2 in league action. Northwest shot 44.4% from the field, but was nearly unstoppable from behind the three-point arc. The Bearcats shot 60.9% by knocking in 14-of-23 from distance against the RiverHawks. In contrast, the RiverHawks shot 18.2% from three-point land by making only 6-of-33 from distance. Northwest did not trail in the contest but it certainly was not a blowout by any stretch of the imagination. The Bearcats used a 13-2 run in the first half to open up up a 13-point lead at 24-11 with 6:43 on the clock. Northwest's largest lead of the opening half was a 16-point bulge at 33-17. The Bearcats would lead 38-25 at intermission. A 9-2 run by the RiverHawks pulled the visitors to within four points at 46-42 with 13:15 to play. But the Bearcats pushed the lead back to double figures on the next three possessions with made three-pointers from Diego Bernard, Luke Waters and Ryan Welty. Welty would knock in all three free throws when he was fouled in the action of shooting a 3-pointer from the corner to give Northwest a 60-44 lead with 9:46 to play. Northeastern State trimmed the lead to nine on two separate occasions, but could claw no closer as Northwest closed out the double-digit victory, 76-65. The Bearcats will be back in action at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Bearcat Arena against the Rogers State Hillcats. NOTES: Northwest is 12-1 all-time against Northeastern State ... Northwest has won 11 straight games in the series with Northeastern State ... Northwest has won 24 consecutive home games, which ranks as the second-longest active streak in NCAA Division II men's basketball ... Northwest is 7-0 at home this season ... Northwest is 116-9 at home since the start of the 2011-12 season ... Welty scored 17 points for the second straight game and went 2-of-4 from three-point range ... Welty was a perfect 9-of-9 at the free throw line ... Bernard tallied 14 points and was also perfect at the line by draining all seven of his free throw attempts ... Tyler Dougherty and Bernard tied for team-high honors with eight rebounds ... Ryan Hawkins scored 14 points and has now tallied 996 points in his Bearcat career. --- Northwest Athletics ---

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat men's basketball team held off the Northeastern State University RiverHawks in Bearcat Arena, 76-65. Sophomore Trevor Hudgins buried 6-of-8 three-pointers and scored 20 points to go along with seven assists in leading the Bearcats to their second MIAA victory of the season. Northwest is 12-1 overall and 2-1 in MIAA play, while Northeastern State is 9-4 overall and 2-2 in league action. Northwest shot 44.4% from the field, but was nearly unstoppable from behind the three-point arc. The Bearcats shot 60.9% by knocking in 14-of-23 from distance against the RiverHawks. In contrast, the RiverHawks shot 18.2% from three-point land by making only 6-of-33 from distance. Northwest did not trail in the contest but it certainly was not a blowout by any stretch of the imagination. The Bearcats used a 13-2 run in the first half to open up up a 13-point lead at 24-11 with 6:43 on the clock. Northwest's largest lead of the opening half was a 16-point bulge at 33-17. The Bearcats would lead 38-25 at intermission. A 9-2 run by the RiverHawks pulled the visitors to within four points at 46-42 with 13:15 to play. But the Bearcats pushed the lead back to double figures on the next three possessions with made three-pointers from Diego Bernard, Luke Waters and Ryan Welty. Welty would knock in all three free throws when he was fouled in the action of shooting a 3-pointer from the corner to give Northwest a 60-44 lead with 9:46 to play. Northeastern State trimmed the lead to nine on two separate occasions, but could claw no closer as Northwest closed out the double-digit victory, 76-65. The Bearcats will be back in action at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Bearcat Arena against the Rogers State Hillcats. NOTES: Northwest is 12-1 all-time against Northeastern State ... Northwest has won 11 straight games in the series with Northeastern State ... Northwest has won 24 consecutive home games, which ranks as the second-longest active streak in NCAA Division II men's basketball ... Northwest is 7-0 at home this season ... Northwest is 116-9 at home since the start of the 2011-12 season ... Welty scored 17 points for the second straight game and went 2-of-4 from three-point range ... Welty was a perfect 9-of-9 at the free throw line ... Bernard tallied 14 points and was also perfect at the line by draining all seven of his free throw attempts ... Tyler Dougherty and Bernard tied for team-high honors with eight rebounds ... Ryan Hawkins scored 14 points and has now tallied 996 points in his Bearcat career. --- Northwest Athletics ---

No. 2 Bearcats defeat Northeastern State 76-65

ST.
JOSEPH -&nbsp;The Missouri Western Women's Basketball team (10-2, 2-1) led wire-to-wire in its fifth consecutive
victory, 76-61 over Rogers State (2-11, 0-4).

The Griffons picked up conference
win No. 2 on the season and kept Rogers State winless in its first season as an
MIAA member.

The Griffons were dominant in the first half,
shooting 53% and leading 45-20 at the break. Rogers State won the second half,
outscoring the Griffons 41-31. Rogers State shot 61% in the third quarter after
shooting 18% in the first. Missouri Western led by as many as 29 in the game
and had nine players score in the first half.


NOTABLES · The Griffon sled 22-7 after one quarter of
play. · Corbyn Cunningham&nbsp;was 9 of 12 from the field, scoring a
team-high 20 points with seven rebounds and a team-high five assists. · Missouri Western missed just 16 shots in the
first half, eight in each quarter. · The Griffons pulled down 42 rebounds to Rogers
State's 32. · Anastacia Johnson&nbsp;scored 11 points with seven rebounds,
four assists and a team-high three steals. · Mychaell Gray&nbsp;added 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting. · Simone Rodney&nbsp;made her first three 3-point attempts
and finished with nine points.

UP NEXT
The Griffons host Northeastern State (4-7, 2-2)
at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 6. The RiverHawks lost 62-40, Saturday at Northwest Missouri
State.

ST.
JOSEPH -&nbsp;The Missouri Western Women's Basketball team (10-2, 2-1) led wire-to-wire in its fifth consecutive
victory, 76-61 over Rogers State (2-11, 0-4). The Griffons picked up conference
win No. 2 on the season and kept Rogers State winless in its first season as an
MIAA member.

The Griffons were dominant in the first half,
shooting 53% and leading 45-20 at the break. Rogers State won the second half,
outscoring the Griffons 41-31. Rogers State shot 61% in the third quarter after
shooting 18% in the first. Missouri Western led by as many as 29 in the game
and had nine players score in the first half.

NOTABLES · The Griffon sled 22-7 after one quarter of
play. · Corbyn Cunningham&nbsp;was 9 of 12 from the field, scoring a
team-high 20 points with seven rebounds and a team-high five assists. · Missouri Western missed just 16 shots in the
first half, eight in each quarter. · The Griffons pulled down 42 rebounds to Rogers
State's 32. · Anastacia Johnson&nbsp;scored 11 points with seven rebounds,
four assists and a team-high three steals. · Mychaell Gray&nbsp;added 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting. · Simone Rodney&nbsp;made her first three 3-point attempts
and finished with nine points.
UP NEXT
The Griffons host Northeastern State (4-7, 2-2)
at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 6. The RiverHawks lost 62-40, Saturday at Northwest Missouri
State.--- MWSU Athletics ---

Missouri Western women roll past Rogers State for fifth straight win

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team won their first MIAA home opener since 2012 by defeating the Northeastern State RiverHawks 62-40. After hopping out to a 29-20 lead at the half the Bearcats allowed the RiverHawks to go on a 10-2 run. This run was followed by an 11-3 run by the Bearcats, including two three-pointers made by Mia Stillman, to end the quarter 41-33. The fourth quarter was all Northwest, with the Bearcats winning the quarter 21-7. 

Northwest's defense stepped up once again this year allowing only 42 points and holding to Northeastern to only 32.7% from the field. This is the fifth time this year that the Bearcats have held their opponent under 50 points. The Bearcats went 41% from the field and from the three-point line, along with making all nine of their free throws. The Bearcats outrebounded the RiverHawks 33-26 and had three less turnovers. 

Mallory McConkey led all scorers with 17 points, going 5-12 from the field. Kendey Eaton was also in double figures for the Bearcats. Stillman led the team with nine rebounds, and Erika Schlosser led the team with eight assists. 

Shae Sanchez was the only RiverHawk in double figures with 12 points. Cenia Hayes led Northeastern with nine rebounds, and the RiverHawks were held to just two assists on the game. 

Northwest will be back in action Monday Jan. 6 at 5:30 p.m. against Rogers State. 

MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team won their first MIAA home opener since 2012 by defeating the Northeastern State RiverHawks 62-40. After hopping out to a 29-20 lead at the half the Bearcats allowed the RiverHawks to go on a 10-2 run. This run was followed by an 11-3 run by the Bearcats, including two three-pointers made by Mia Stillman, to end the quarter 41-33. The fourth quarter was all Northwest, with the Bearcats winning the quarter 21-7. Northwest's defense stepped up once again this year allowing only 42 points and holding to Northeastern to only 32.7% from the field. This is the fifth time this year that the Bearcats have held their opponent under 50 points. The Bearcats went 41% from the field and from the three-point line, along with making all nine of their free throws. The Bearcats outrebounded the RiverHawks 33-26 and had three less turnovers. Mallory McConkey led all scorers with 17 points, going 5-12 from the field. Kendey Eaton was also in double figures for the Bearcats. Stillman led the team with nine rebounds, and Erika Schlosser led the team with eight assists. Shae Sanchez was the only RiverHawk in double figures with 12 points. Cenia Hayes led Northeastern with nine rebounds, and the RiverHawks were held to just two assists on the game. Northwest will be back in action Monday Jan. 6 at 5:30 p.m. against Rogers State. --- Northwest Athletics ---

Northwest women pull away to defeat RiverHawks 62-40

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Nick Richards carried the load for No. 17 Kentucky before Immanuel Quickley finished the job for the Wildcats.

Quickley scored a career-high 23 points, Nick Richards had 21 and Kentucky beat Missouri 71-59 Saturday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both schools.

Richards scored 14 of the Wildcats' first 16 points and had 17 by halftime, including a key 3-point play. Quickley's 3 put Kentucky (10-3, 1-0) ahead to stay, and he was just getting started.

Quickley was 4 of 8 from behind the arc and 5 of 9 overall. He also went 9 for 9 at the line, part of a 27-for-30 performance for Kentucky as a team.

"My way of changing a game is usually a 3-point shot," said Quickley, who surpassed his previous best of 18 points from last Saturday's victory against Louisville. "We've got other guys, they dunk, they block shots. Any way you can change a game, you want to use that to the best of your ability."

Richards went 9 for 13 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. The junior forward also blocked four shots before fouling out with 3:52 left.

In between blocking shots and grabbing rebounds, Richards worked his way free for scoring opportunities, including a few jumpers.

"All the workouts I've been through, eventually it was going to show up on the court," said Richards, who posted his sixth double-double this season. "My coaches told me not to be arrogant with it, just be humble and everything will just fall through."

Kentucky posted its second straight victory since consecutive losses to Utah and Ohio State. But the Wildcats lost point guard Ashton Hagans with 1:48 left after he hurt his left ankle while playing defense.

Hagans finished with seven points, seven assists and five rebounds. Coach John Calipari said it was a low sprain instead of an Achilles tendon tear that he initially feared.

"When they told me it wasn't that, OK, we can deal with whatever else it is," Calipari said. "Maybe he's out. Maybe he doesn't play against Georgia (on Tuesday). Then you're going to see the impact and importance he has on this team."

Missouri (8-5, 0-1) cut a 16-point deficit down to 56-46 with 6:03 remaining. The Wildcats answered with a 6-0 spurt to help close it out.

Dru Smith had 11 points and Kobe Brown nine for Missouri, which had won four in a row. The Tigers shot 36% and were outrebounded 36-31.

Missouri: The Tigers' quest for their first-ever Rupp Arena win began well enough as their defense aggressively denied inside chances while their shooters delivered from outside. That physical game also helped put Kentucky on the line often, resulting in a huge disparity on free throws. They didn't have an answer for Richards, who was free on most of his opportunities.

"I think he was the difference-maker," Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said. "They got more points from their bigs than we did from ours."

Kentucky: The Wildcats started sluggishly after a week off, missing six of seven shots while allowing the Tigers to make shots from deep. Richards was the steadying presence on both ends, but especially with the ball, converting a pair of 3-point plays to keep them in the game before Quickley delivered from deep. Freshman guard Johnny Juzang was sidelined by an illness, leaving them with just eight scholarship players, and the roster might be even shorter depending on Hagans' status.

"We just have to pick up the little stuff that he does," Quickley said. "He gets everybody involved, so we're going to have to be an even better passing team than we already are. He's a leader, you know?"

Missouri hosts Tennessee on Tuesday night.

Kentucky visits Georgia on Tuesday night.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Nick Richards carried the load for No. 17 Kentucky before Immanuel Quickley finished the job for the Wildcats.Quickley scored a career-high 23 points, Nick Richards had 21 and Kentucky beat Missouri 71-59 Saturday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both schools.Richards scored 14 of the Wildcats' first 16 points and had 17 by halftime, including a key 3-point play. Quickley's 3 put Kentucky (10-3, 1-0) ahead to stay, and he was just getting started.Quickley was 4 of 8 from behind the arc and 5 of 9 overall. He also went 9 for 9 at the line, part of a 27-for-30 performance for Kentucky as a team."My way of changing a game is usually a 3-point shot," said Quickley, who surpassed his previous best of 18 points from last Saturday's victory against Louisville. "We've got other guys, they dunk, they block shots. Any way you can change a game, you want to use that to the best of your ability."Richards went 9 for 13 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. The junior forward also blocked four shots before fouling out with 3:52 left.In between blocking shots and grabbing rebounds, Richards worked his way free for scoring opportunities, including a few jumpers."All the workouts I've been through, eventually it was going to show up on the court," said Richards, who posted his sixth double-double this season. "My coaches told me not to be arrogant with it, just be humble and everything will just fall through."Kentucky posted its second straight victory since consecutive losses to Utah and Ohio State. But the Wildcats lost point guard Ashton Hagans with 1:48 left after he hurt his left ankle while playing defense.Hagans finished with seven points, seven assists and five rebounds. Coach John Calipari said it was a low sprain instead of an Achilles tendon tear that he initially feared."When they told me it wasn't that, OK, we can deal with whatever else it is," Calipari said. "Maybe he's out. Maybe he doesn't play against Georgia (on Tuesday). Then you're going to see the impact and importance he has on this team."Missouri (8-5, 0-1) cut a 16-point deficit down to 56-46 with 6:03 remaining. The Wildcats answered with a 6-0 spurt to help close it out.Dru Smith had 11 points and Kobe Brown nine for Missouri, which had won four in a row. The Tigers shot 36% and were outrebounded 36-31.BIG PICTUREMissouri: The Tigers' quest for their first-ever Rupp Arena win began well enough as their defense aggressively denied inside chances while their shooters delivered from outside. That physical game also helped put Kentucky on the line often, resulting in a huge disparity on free throws. They didn't have an answer for Richards, who was free on most of his opportunities."I think he was the difference-maker," Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said. "They got more points from their bigs than we did from ours."Kentucky: The Wildcats started sluggishly after a week off, missing six of seven shots while allowing the Tigers to make shots from deep. Richards was the steadying presence on both ends, but especially with the ball, converting a pair of 3-point plays to keep them in the game before Quickley delivered from deep. Freshman guard Johnny Juzang was sidelined by an illness, leaving them with just eight scholarship players, and the roster might be even shorter depending on Hagans' status."We just have to pick up the little stuff that he does," Quickley said. "He gets everybody involved, so we're going to have to be an even better passing team than we already are. He's a leader, you know?"UP NEXTMissouri hosts Tennessee on Tuesday night.Kentucky visits Georgia on Tuesday night.--- Associated Press ---

Missouri drops SEC opener at No. 17 Kentucky 71-59

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kansas coach Bill Self knew he would need his toughest bunch on the floor to muscle up against West Virginia.

Udoka Azubuike had 17 points and 11 rebounds while outplaying Mountaineers big man Oscar Tshiebwe in the second half, Devon Dotson and Marcus Garrett made crucial plays down the stretch, and the third-ranked Jayhawks rallied from a slow start to beat No. 16 West Virginia 60-53 in the Big 12 opener for both teams Saturday.

Dotson added 16 points and Garrett finished with 12 points and six assists for the Jayhawks (11-2, who won their 28th straight conference opener by overcoming a sluggish first half. Kansas trailed by as many as 10 before leaning on defense and dunks to beat the Mountaineers (11-2) for the seventh time in their last eight meetings.

"I'd be honest, I didn't think we played very tough at all the first half. I didn't think Doke was that tough. Oscar just dominated," Self said. "The key the second half was Dot's conditioning -- I think he played 40 minutes and never came out against pressure like that. And you know, Doke was the best player in the game the second half."

In the first half, that was Tshiebwe who had the bulk of his 17 points and 17 rebounds. Fellow freshman Miles McBride added 13 points, most of that coming as the Mountaineers tried to close the gap in the final minutes of their eighth consecutive loss in Allen Fieldhouse.

"I think we were a little shell-shocked," Self said. "As much as we told them how physical it would be, that's a whole different ballgame. And it helps us to play them here first to give us a better chance going to Morgantown."

Kansas won despite shooting 3 of 17 from beyond the arc -- mostly because West Virginia wasn't any better. The Big 12's best defensive team couldn't solve the Jayhawks' own defense in the second half, when the Mountaineers shot 28 percent from the field and missed all of their 3-point attempts.

It was a much different story from the first half, when Kansas was fortunate to get within 30-24 into the locker room.

It wasn't so much that West Virginia had dominated, either. It was that Tshiebwe had done it.

The bruising McDonald's All-American was 6 of 8 from the field, scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, all while flexing and strutting to the jeering of a sold-out field house. On the defensive end, the 260-pound Tshiebwe proved to be one of the few players in the Big 12 who could match the Jayhawks' own big man with brute strength.

Azubuike had 10 points and seven rebounds, but he wasn't the game-changer the Jayhawks have come to expect.

"Beautiful thing about Oscar is Oscar is Oscar. He doesn't try to be anything else," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. "He's really good at what he does. You don't have to worry about him going out and dribbling it between his legs and losing it, or jacking up 3s. Oscar knows who he is. He is happy with who he is. He's pretty damn good at who he is."

He just wasn't quite as good in the second half.

The Jayhawks began denying him the ball and on defense Tshiebwe suddenly looked like a first-year player. He committed a foul when Azubuike slammed an ally-oop dunk, then committed another foul on the next possession, when freshman guard Christian Braun finished over Tshiebwe for another three-point play.

Azubuike slammed a second alley-oop over Tshiebwe to cap an 8-0 run later in the half, giving the Jayhawks a 45-38 lead and sending a once-subdued crowd inside the Phog into a frenzy. Then, the Jayhawks' senior center rattled the rim with a third and final alley-oop dunk on Tshiebwe to make it 49-42 as the game approached the final media timeout.

"Oscar, he's a grown man. I've never played against somebody like that," Azubuike said. "He's hard to move in the paint. Really physical, really strong. I told him, first time playing him, I tried to box him out and he wasn't moving."

The Mountaineers got within 52-49 on a jumper by Taz Sherman with 90 seconds left, but Garrett answered with a scooping layup. And when McBride made two foul shots for West Virginia, the Jayhawks' junior guard added his own.

Dotson took care of the rest with a series of foul shots that put the game away.

"We didn't stick to the game plan," Huggins said. "We got a bunch of young guys, and we were trying to play a bunch of guys, and I think we had some (bad) combinations out there at both ends."

West Virginia's only other loss this season came St. John's in early December, so Huggins' team came into Lawrence with a bunch of momentum. And while the Mountaineers carried that through a bruising first half, they struggled to find another offensive option when the Jayhawks prevented Tshiebwe from getting any looks the final 20 minutes.

Kansas has won high-scoring affairs this season, but the Jayhawks proved Saturday they could win a game that had all the finesse of a couple dump trucks playing bumper cars. They forced West Virginia into 16 turnovers while allowing just seven assists, but they also gave up 15 second-chance points while getting just four themselves.

West Virginia makes another long trip to Oklahoma State on Monday night.

Kansas heads to Hilton Coliseum to face Iowa State on Wednesday night.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kansas coach Bill Self knew he would need his toughest bunch on the floor to muscle up against West Virginia.All three of them showed up.Udoka Azubuike had 17 points and 11 rebounds while outplaying Mountaineers big man Oscar Tshiebwe in the second half, Devon Dotson and Marcus Garrett made crucial plays down the stretch, and the third-ranked Jayhawks rallied from a slow start to beat No. 16 West Virginia 60-53 in the Big 12 opener for both teams Saturday.Dotson added 16 points and Garrett finished with 12 points and six assists for the Jayhawks (11-2, who won their 28th straight conference opener by overcoming a sluggish first half. Kansas trailed by as many as 10 before leaning on defense and dunks to beat the Mountaineers (11-2) for the seventh time in their last eight meetings."I'd be honest, I didn't think we played very tough at all the first half. I didn't think Doke was that tough. Oscar just dominated," Self said. "The key the second half was Dot's conditioning -- I think he played 40 minutes and never came out against pressure like that. And you know, Doke was the best player in the game the second half."In the first half, that was Tshiebwe who had the bulk of his 17 points and 17 rebounds. Fellow freshman Miles McBride added 13 points, most of that coming as the Mountaineers tried to close the gap in the final minutes of their eighth consecutive loss in Allen Fieldhouse."I think we were a little shell-shocked," Self said. "As much as we told them how physical it would be, that's a whole different ballgame. And it helps us to play them here first to give us a better chance going to Morgantown."Kansas won despite shooting 3 of 17 from beyond the arc -- mostly because West Virginia wasn't any better. The Big 12's best defensive team couldn't solve the Jayhawks' own defense in the second half, when the Mountaineers shot 28 percent from the field and missed all of their 3-point attempts.It was a much different story from the first half, when Kansas was fortunate to get within 30-24 into the locker room.It wasn't so much that West Virginia had dominated, either. It was that Tshiebwe had done it.The bruising McDonald's All-American was 6 of 8 from the field, scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, all while flexing and strutting to the jeering of a sold-out field house. On the defensive end, the 260-pound Tshiebwe proved to be one of the few players in the Big 12 who could match the Jayhawks' own big man with brute strength.Azubuike had 10 points and seven rebounds, but he wasn't the game-changer the Jayhawks have come to expect."Beautiful thing about Oscar is Oscar is Oscar. He doesn't try to be anything else," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. "He's really good at what he does. You don't have to worry about him going out and dribbling it between his legs and losing it, or jacking up 3s. Oscar knows who he is. He is happy with who he is. He's pretty damn good at who he is."He just wasn't quite as good in the second half.The Jayhawks began denying him the ball and on defense Tshiebwe suddenly looked like a first-year player. He committed a foul when Azubuike slammed an ally-oop dunk, then committed another foul on the next possession, when freshman guard Christian Braun finished over Tshiebwe for another three-point play.Azubuike slammed a second alley-oop over Tshiebwe to cap an 8-0 run later in the half, giving the Jayhawks a 45-38 lead and sending a once-subdued crowd inside the Phog into a frenzy. Then, the Jayhawks' senior center rattled the rim with a third and final alley-oop dunk on Tshiebwe to make it 49-42 as the game approached the final media timeout."Oscar, he's a grown man. I've never played against somebody like that," Azubuike said. "He's hard to move in the paint. Really physical, really strong. I told him, first time playing him, I tried to box him out and he wasn't moving."The Mountaineers got within 52-49 on a jumper by Taz Sherman with 90 seconds left, but Garrett answered with a scooping layup. And when McBride made two foul shots for West Virginia, the Jayhawks' junior guard added his own.Dotson took care of the rest with a series of foul shots that put the game away."We didn't stick to the game plan," Huggins said. "We got a bunch of young guys, and we were trying to play a bunch of guys, and I think we had some (bad) combinations out there at both ends."BIG PICTUREWest Virginia's only other loss this season came St. John's in early December, so Huggins' team came into Lawrence with a bunch of momentum. And while the Mountaineers carried that through a bruising first half, they struggled to find another offensive option when the Jayhawks prevented Tshiebwe from getting any looks the final 20 minutes.Kansas has won high-scoring affairs this season, but the Jayhawks proved Saturday they could win a game that had all the finesse of a couple dump trucks playing bumper cars. They forced West Virginia into 16 turnovers while allowing just seven assists, but they also gave up 15 second-chance points while getting just four themselves.UP NEXTWest Virginia makes another long trip to Oklahoma State on Monday night.Kansas heads to Hilton Coliseum to face Iowa State on Wednesday night.--- Associated Press ---

Azubuike leads No. 3 KU to 60-53 win over No. 16 West Virginia

NORMAN, Okla. -- Austin Reaves was running out of time to make an impression in his Big 12 debut.

The Wichita State transfer stepped up at the right time. He scored 18 of his 21 points final 11 minutes, and Oklahoma rallied from 11 down in the second half to beat Kansas State 66-61 on Saturday.

"Everybody wants to do something that helps the team win," Reaves said. "I look up at the scoreboard and feel like, ‘What could I do to help?'"

His answer was to make 5 of 9 field-goal attempts and 5 of 6 free throws after the break.

Kristian Doolittle added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Sooners (10-3, who won despite shooting just 37 percent overall and making just 5 of 23 3-pointers.

Xavier Sneed scored 22 points and Cartier Diarra added 10 for Kansas State (7-6) in the conference opener for both teams.

Kansas State led 33-30 at halftime behind 7-for-16 3-point shooting. Sneed scored 10 points before the break.

"Doo kept us in the game in the first half," Reaves said. "Otherwise, we would've been down 15 at the break."

Early in the second half, Doolittle kept the ball alive between three players to claim an offensive rebound. He passed to Alondes Williams, who scored, was fouled and made the free throw to cut Kansas State's lead to 35-33.

The Wildcats bounced back with a 9-0 run, including a layup and a 3-pointer by Sneed, to push its lead to 44-33.

Oklahoma had closed to within 44-39 but Sneed hit a 3-pointer, was fouled and made the free throw to put the Wildcats back up by nine.

Shortly after that, Reaves became more aggressive. He drew the fourth foul from Sneed with 8:37 to go and Oklahoma rallying. With Sneed out, Reaves drained a 3-pointer to cut Kansas State's lead to 55-54.

Sneed re-entered the game with 2:06 left, but Kansas State coach Bruce Weber opted not to have him defend Reaves to try to protect him from fouling out. Just 27 seconds later, Reaves hit the 3-pointer that put the Sooners ahead for good, 63-61, with 1:39 to play. "We just didn't want him (Sneed) to foul out," Weber said. "Reaves is tough. He's got a wiggle. He knows how to make plays and draw fouls."

Reaves was impressed with his teammates for hanging tough when they got behind.

"Have to play every second on the court because it all counts," Reaves said. "It can change in seconds, so we prepared like that."

Kansas State: The Wildcats, who had competitive losses to Mississippi State and Saint Louis in nonconference play, missed an opportunity to get a close one on the road.

Oklahoma: A home loss to a team barely over .500 could have been costly for the Sooners. Instead, their defense battled enough to give the offense time to find a rhythm.

"Down in the second half, I was really proud of our guys defensively," Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said. "We dug in and made some tough plays. We had some good deflections and forced some turnovers that turned into some pace for us offensively."

Weber, on defending Reaves: "I thought we had him under control for most of the first half until he got cooking in the last five minutes. He made the plays that gave them the chance."

Oklahoma outscored Kansas State 23-5 from the free-throw line. Kansas State committed 23 fouls and had Makol Mawien foul out late in the game. The Sooners committed just 13 fouls.

Reaves made 4 of 8 3-point attempts. The rest of the Sooners made 1 of 15.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Austin Reaves was running out of time to make an impression in his Big 12 debut.The Wichita State transfer stepped up at the right time. He scored 18 of his 21 points final 11 minutes, and Oklahoma rallied from 11 down in the second half to beat Kansas State 66-61 on Saturday."Everybody wants to do something that helps the team win," Reaves said. "I look up at the scoreboard and feel like, ‘What could I do to help?'"His answer was to make 5 of 9 field-goal attempts and 5 of 6 free throws after the break.Kristian Doolittle added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Sooners (10-3, who won despite shooting just 37 percent overall and making just 5 of 23 3-pointers.Xavier Sneed scored 22 points and Cartier Diarra added 10 for Kansas State (7-6) in the conference opener for both teams.Kansas State led 33-30 at halftime behind 7-for-16 3-point shooting. Sneed scored 10 points before the break.Doolittle scored 13 in the first half."Doo kept us in the game in the first half," Reaves said. "Otherwise, we would've been down 15 at the break."Early in the second half, Doolittle kept the ball alive between three players to claim an offensive rebound. He passed to Alondes Williams, who scored, was fouled and made the free throw to cut Kansas State's lead to 35-33.The Wildcats bounced back with a 9-0 run, including a layup and a 3-pointer by Sneed, to push its lead to 44-33.Oklahoma had closed to within 44-39 but Sneed hit a 3-pointer, was fouled and made the free throw to put the Wildcats back up by nine.Shortly after that, Reaves became more aggressive. He drew the fourth foul from Sneed with 8:37 to go and Oklahoma rallying. With Sneed out, Reaves drained a 3-pointer to cut Kansas State's lead to 55-54.Sneed re-entered the game with 2:06 left, but Kansas State coach Bruce Weber opted not to have him defend Reaves to try to protect him from fouling out. Just 27 seconds later, Reaves hit the 3-pointer that put the Sooners ahead for good, 63-61, with 1:39 to play. "We just didn't want him (Sneed) to foul out," Weber said. "Reaves is tough. He's got a wiggle. He knows how to make plays and draw fouls."Reaves was impressed with his teammates for hanging tough when they got behind."Have to play every second on the court because it all counts," Reaves said. "It can change in seconds, so we prepared like that."BIG PICTUREKansas State: The Wildcats, who had competitive losses to Mississippi State and Saint Louis in nonconference play, missed an opportunity to get a close one on the road.Oklahoma: A home loss to a team barely over .500 could have been costly for the Sooners. Instead, their defense battled enough to give the offense time to find a rhythm."Down in the second half, I was really proud of our guys defensively," Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said. "We dug in and made some tough plays. We had some good deflections and forced some turnovers that turned into some pace for us offensively."QUOTABLEWeber, on defending Reaves: "I thought we had him under control for most of the first half until he got cooking in the last five minutes. He made the plays that gave them the chance."STAT LINESOklahoma outscored Kansas State 23-5 from the free-throw line. Kansas State committed 23 fouls and had Makol Mawien foul out late in the game. The Sooners committed just 13 fouls.ROUGH SHOOTINGReaves made 4 of 8 3-point attempts. The rest of the Sooners made 1 of 15.UP NEXTKansas State: Hosts TCU on Tuesday.Oklahoma: Visits Texas on Wednesday.--- Associated Press ---

Kansas State opens Big 12 play with loss at Oklahoma

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Rennia Davis had 19 points and 12 rebounds as No. 22 Tennessee defeated Missouri 77-66 on Thursday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Freshman Tamari Key scored a season-high 16 points and Jordan Horston added 13 as Tennessee (11-2) handed Missouri (3-11) its fifth consecutive loss. Tennessee's Jazmine Massengill had seven points and a career-high 12 assists with only one turnover.

Amber Smith scored 22 points and Aijha Blackwell added 16 for Missouri.

The Lady Vols scored the last eight points of the second quarter to lead 32-28 at halftime, and opened the third quarter with a 14-4 spurt to extend the margin to 46-32.

Missouri got the deficit down to four points early in the fourth quarter before Tennessee put the game away.

Tennessee outrebounded Missouri 43-22 and outscored the Tigers 19-4 in second-chance points. The Lady Vols entered the day with a plus-16.3 rebound margin that led all Division I teams.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Rennia Davis had 19 points and 12 rebounds as No. 22 Tennessee defeated Missouri 77-66 on Thursday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.Freshman Tamari Key scored a season-high 16 points and Jordan Horston added 13 as Tennessee (11-2) handed Missouri (3-11) its fifth consecutive loss. Tennessee's Jazmine Massengill had seven points and a career-high 12 assists with only one turnover.Amber Smith scored 22 points and Aijha Blackwell added 16 for Missouri.The Lady Vols scored the last eight points of the second quarter to lead 32-28 at halftime, and opened the third quarter with a 14-4 spurt to extend the margin to 46-32.Missouri got the deficit down to four points early in the fourth quarter before Tennessee put the game away.Tennessee outrebounded Missouri 43-22 and outscored the Tigers 19-4 in second-chance points. The Lady Vols entered the day with a plus-16.3 rebound margin that led all Division I teams.--- Associated Press ---

Mizzou women lose SEC opener at No. 22 Tennessee 77-66

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat men's basketball recorded a 101-66 victory over the Simpson College Storm on New Year's Day. The Bearcats won for the 23rd straight time at Bearcat Arena and improved to 11-1 on the season. Simpson is 7-5 on the season and played the game as one of its exhibition contests for the Division III school. Northwest did not trail in the contest, however Simpson was within eight points at 52-44 with 18:33 to play in the game. Northwest used a 16-2 run and took a 68-46 lead with 13:45 left in the second half.&nbsp; The Bearcats shot 53.6% from the field, which was bolstered by 67.7% shooting in the second half. Northwest made 21-of-31 field goals in the final 20 minutes. Northwest hit only 2-of-13 three-pointers in the first half, but bounced back by making 5-of-11 in the second half.&nbsp; All five starters scored in double figures led by Trevor Hudgins (22) and Ryan Hawkins (21). Ryan Welty tied a season-high with 17 points. Tyler Dougherty set a career-high with nine rebounds and added 12 points. Diego Bernard continued to stuff his stat sheet with 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Northwest will jump back into MIAA play on Saturday when the Bearcats play host to the Northeastern State University RiverHawks. Tip is set for approximately 3:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena following the women's game. NOTES: Northwest is 5-0 all-time vs. Simpson ... Northwest has won 38 consecutive games non-conference opponents in the regular season ... Northwest has also won 27 straight home games against non-conference regular season foes ... Northwest is 115-9 in Bearcat Arena since the start of the 2011-12 season ... Northwest is 111-6 in all games over the past four seasons ... Ryan Hawkins needs 18 points to become the 24th Bearcat to reach 1,000 career points ... Northwest has shot 50% or better in nine of its 12 games this season ... it marked the 14th time that the Bearcats have surpassed the 100-point mark under head coach Ben McCollum's tenure ... it's the fourth time this season that Northwest has reached the century mark on the scoreboard. --- Northwest Athletics ---

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat men's basketball recorded a 101-66 victory over the Simpson College Storm on New Year's Day. The Bearcats won for the 23rd straight time at Bearcat Arena and improved to 11-1 on the season. Simpson is 7-5 on the season and played the game as one of its exhibition contests for the Division III school. Northwest did not trail in the contest, however Simpson was within eight points at 52-44 with 18:33 to play in the game. Northwest used a 16-2 run and took a 68-46 lead with 13:45 left in the second half.&nbsp; The Bearcats shot 53.6% from the field, which was bolstered by 67.7% shooting in the second half. Northwest made 21-of-31 field goals in the final 20 minutes. Northwest hit only 2-of-13 three-pointers in the first half, but bounced back by making 5-of-11 in the second half.&nbsp; All five starters scored in double figures led by Trevor Hudgins (22) and Ryan Hawkins (21). Ryan Welty tied a season-high with 17 points. Tyler Dougherty set a career-high with nine rebounds and added 12 points. Diego Bernard continued to stuff his stat sheet with 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Northwest will jump back into MIAA play on Saturday when the Bearcats play host to the Northeastern State University RiverHawks. Tip is set for approximately 3:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena following the women's game. NOTES: Northwest is 5-0 all-time vs. Simpson ... Northwest has won 38 consecutive games non-conference opponents in the regular season ... Northwest has also won 27 straight home games against non-conference regular season foes ... Northwest is 115-9 in Bearcat Arena since the start of the 2011-12 season ... Northwest is 111-6 in all games over the past four seasons ... Ryan Hawkins needs 18 points to become the 24th Bearcat to reach 1,000 career points ... Northwest has shot 50% or better in nine of its 12 games this season ... it marked the 14th time that the Bearcats have surpassed the 100-point mark under head coach Ben McCollum's tenure ... it's the fourth time this season that Northwest has reached the century mark on the scoreboard. --- Northwest Athletics ---

No. 2 Bearcats defeat Simpson 101-66

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Head Football Coach Eliah Drinkwitz has added offensive assistant coach Bush Hamdan to his new staff, as announced today.  Hamdan comes to Mizzou after spending four of the last five seasons on very successful teams at the University of Washington, with a one-year stint with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons in the middle.  Details of Hamdan’s contract with Mizzou, as well as his specific coaching duties, will be released pending completion of the human resources process.

For the past two seasons, Hamdan served as the Huskies’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Coach Chris Petersen, who he was a quarterback for in his playing days at Boise State (2004-08).  He first started working on Petersen’s Washington staff in 2015 as an offensive quality control assistant, and was promoted the following season to wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator.  The Huskies won a pair of Pac 12 Conference championships during his tenure in Seattle (2016, 2018) and reached the College Football Playoff in 2016. 

“I’m excited to reconnect with Bush, he is an outstanding teacher and has great experience, from his time as a coordinator in the Pac 12, and on successful staffs in the SEC and the NFL,” said Drinkwitz, who coached with Hamdan as part of the Arkansas State staff in 2013.  “Bush is a good person who does a great job of connecting with kids and he will be a great addition to our staff.”

The Huskies' 2018 offense compiled 3,337 passing yards, the fourth-highest total in UW history. In terms of total offense, UW's 5,805 yards were third-most ever at the school, while the 414.6 yards per game ranked sixth in program history. The 2018 squad also posted top-10 marks in total first downs (310, 4th, first downs by rushing (130, tie-6th) and first downs by passing (156, 2nd).

During the 2016 season, Hamdan coached the prolific wide out duo of John Ross III and Dante Pettis, who set a Pac 12 record with a combined 32 receiving touchdowns.  Ross earned All-America honors and later was taken as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, while Pettis went in the second round.

“I had the fortune of working with Coach Drink at Arkansas State and I knew then that he was going to be a rising star in the business,” said Hamdan.  “I’ve got such a great amount of respect for him and how he operates, I’m 100 percent on board with his vision.  I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to help him build something special at Mizzou, and I can’t wait to get started.”

In Hamdan’s season in Atlanta, the Falcons went 10-6 and reached the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs after a 26-13 Wildcard Game win at Los Angeles.  He coached QB Matt Ryan, who finished sixth in the league in passing that year, with 4,095 yards.

In his playing days, despite being a reserve quarterback in his time at Boise, Hamdan still played a crucial role in helping Petersen build the Broncos into one of the most competitive programs in the country.  He was twice voted team captain by his teammates and coaches as a testament to his leadership, and he also had a big role in calling the legendary “Statue Left” play that won Boise the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

Hamdan spent the 2014 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Davidson, where he coached starting QB J.P. Douglast to a 66-percent completion percentage and a 130.41 pass efficiency rating. Wide receiver William Morris caught 98 passes for 1,224 yards, a Davidson record. The Wildcats had five players earn postseason honors from the Pioneer Football League, including running back Jeffrey Keil, the offensive freshman of the year.

In 2014, Davidson increased its scoring average BY nearly 10 points from the previous year and its total offense average by 40 yards per game.

Prior to his time at Davidson, he held the title of co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas State, helping to lead the Red Wolves to the 2013 Sun Belt championship and a berth in the GoDaddy.com Bowl, a 23-20 win over Ball State. Starting signal caller Adam Kennedy, a transfer from Utah State recruited by Hamdan, completed 69.2 percent of his 315 attempts for 2,363 yards and a 139.93 efficiency rating while a balanced offensive attack averaged 407.8 yards per game (205.7 by rush and 202.1 by pass). Six Red Wolves earned some level of All-Sun Belt Conference honors in 2013.

In 2012, Hamdan helped coach Florida to an 11-2 record and a berth in the Sugar Bowl as the Gators' wide receivers coach. He was promoted to the position by Gators head coach Will Muschamp just prior to the start of the season and coached four players who played in the NFL – Frankie Hammond; Solomon Patton; Andre Debose; and Quinton Dunbar.

Prior to his time in Gainesville, Hamdan coached tight ends at Sacramento State in 2011 and was an offensive intern at Maryland in 2010. During his season with the Hornets, he was part of an historic upset of Oregon State in the season opener.

At Maryland, he worked with freshman quarterback Danny O'Brien, who broke nearly every freshman passing record at Maryland, earning ACC Rookie of the Year honors. Hamdan was part of a Ralph Friedgen staff that made one of the biggest turnarounds in recent college history, posting a 9-4 record after having gone 2-10 in 2009. Friedgen promoted Hamdan to quarterbacks coach for the 2010 Military Bowl (a win over East Carolina) after James Franklin left to take the head coaching job at Vanderbilt.

Hamdan began his coaching career as a student assistant at Colorado in 2009, where he worked with offensive coordinator Erik Kiesau, who went on to serve in the same role at Washington.

Hamdan played quarterback at Boise State, earning three varsity letters in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He won the Bronco Excellence Award following his senior season. His last three seasons, all played under Petersen, the Broncos posted a 35-4 overall record, including a perfect 13-0 mark in 2006 and a win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. He earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Boise State in 2008 and received his master's in athletic administration from Idaho State in 2009.

A standout high school quarterback and baseball player at Bishop O'Connell High in Arlington, Va., and a native of Gaithersburg, Md., he earned Washington D.C. all-metro honors. His brother, Gibran, played quarterback at Indiana and in the NFL. Gibran was drafted by the Redskins in 2003 and spent time on the active rosters at Washington, San Francisco and Seattle while also earning NFL Europe MVP in 2006 as a member of the Rhein Fire.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Head Football Coach Eliah Drinkwitz has added offensive assistant coach Bush Hamdan to his new staff, as announced today. Hamdan comes to Mizzou after spending four of the last five seasons on very successful teams at the University of Washington, with a one-year stint with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons in the middle. Details of Hamdan’s contract with Mizzou, as well as his specific coaching duties, will be released pending completion of the human resources process.For the past two seasons, Hamdan served as the Huskies’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Coach Chris Petersen, who he was a quarterback for in his playing days at Boise State (2004-08). He first started working on Petersen’s Washington staff in 2015 as an offensive quality control assistant, and was promoted the following season to wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator. The Huskies won a pair of Pac 12 Conference championships during his tenure in Seattle (2016, 2018) and reached the College Football Playoff in 2016. “I’m excited to reconnect with Bush, he is an outstanding teacher and has great experience, from his time as a coordinator in the Pac 12, and on successful staffs in the SEC and the NFL,” said Drinkwitz, who coached with Hamdan as part of the Arkansas State staff in 2013. “Bush is a good person who does a great job of connecting with kids and he will be a great addition to our staff.”The Huskies' 2018 offense compiled 3,337 passing yards, the fourth-highest total in UW history. In terms of total offense, UW's 5,805 yards were third-most ever at the school, while the 414.6 yards per game ranked sixth in program history. The 2018 squad also posted top-10 marks in total first downs (310, 4th, first downs by rushing (130, tie-6th) and first downs by passing (156, 2nd).During the 2016 season, Hamdan coached the prolific wide out duo of John Ross III and Dante Pettis, who set a Pac 12 record with a combined 32 receiving touchdowns. Ross earned All-America honors and later was taken as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, while Pettis went in the second round.“I had the fortune of working with Coach Drink at Arkansas State and I knew then that he was going to be a rising star in the business,” said Hamdan. “I’ve got such a great amount of respect for him and how he operates, I’m 100 percent on board with his vision. I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to help him build something special at Mizzou, and I can’t wait to get started.”In Hamdan’s season in Atlanta, the Falcons went 10-6 and reached the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs after a 26-13 Wildcard Game win at Los Angeles. He coached QB Matt Ryan, who finished sixth in the league in passing that year, with 4,095 yards.In his playing days, despite being a reserve quarterback in his time at Boise, Hamdan still played a crucial role in helping Petersen build the Broncos into one of the most competitive programs in the country. He was twice voted team captain by his teammates and coaches as a testament to his leadership, and he also had a big role in calling the legendary “Statue Left” play that won Boise the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.Hamdan spent the 2014 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Davidson, where he coached starting QB J.P. Douglast to a 66-percent completion percentage and a 130.41 pass efficiency rating. Wide receiver William Morris caught 98 passes for 1,224 yards, a Davidson record. The Wildcats had five players earn postseason honors from the Pioneer Football League, including running back Jeffrey Keil, the offensive freshman of the year.In 2014, Davidson increased its scoring average BY nearly 10 points from the previous year and its total offense average by 40 yards per game.Prior to his time at Davidson, he held the title of co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas State, helping to lead the Red Wolves to the 2013 Sun Belt championship and a berth in the GoDaddy.com Bowl, a 23-20 win over Ball State. Starting signal caller Adam Kennedy, a transfer from Utah State recruited by Hamdan, completed 69.2 percent of his 315 attempts for 2,363 yards and a 139.93 efficiency rating while a balanced offensive attack averaged 407.8 yards per game (205.7 by rush and 202.1 by pass). Six Red Wolves earned some level of All-Sun Belt Conference honors in 2013.In 2012, Hamdan helped coach Florida to an 11-2 record and a berth in the Sugar Bowl as the Gators' wide receivers coach. He was promoted to the position by Gators head coach Will Muschamp just prior to the start of the season and coached four players who played in the NFL – Frankie Hammond; Solomon Patton; Andre Debose; and Quinton Dunbar.Prior to his time in Gainesville, Hamdan coached tight ends at Sacramento State in 2011 and was an offensive intern at Maryland in 2010. During his season with the Hornets, he was part of an historic upset of Oregon State in the season opener.At Maryland, he worked with freshman quarterback Danny O'Brien, who broke nearly every freshman passing record at Maryland, earning ACC Rookie of the Year honors. Hamdan was part of a Ralph Friedgen staff that made one of the biggest turnarounds in recent college history, posting a 9-4 record after having gone 2-10 in 2009. Friedgen promoted Hamdan to quarterbacks coach for the 2010 Military Bowl (a win over East Carolina) after James Franklin left to take the head coaching job at Vanderbilt.Hamdan began his coaching career as a student assistant at Colorado in 2009, where he worked with offensive coordinator Erik Kiesau, who went on to serve in the same role at Washington.Hamdan played quarterback at Boise State, earning three varsity letters in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He won the Bronco Excellence Award following his senior season. His last three seasons, all played under Petersen, the Broncos posted a 35-4 overall record, including a perfect 13-0 mark in 2006 and a win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. He earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Boise State in 2008 and received his master's in athletic administration from Idaho State in 2009.A standout high school quarterback and baseball player at Bishop O'Connell High in Arlington, Va., and a native of Gaithersburg, Md., he earned Washington D.C. all-metro honors. His brother, Gibran, played quarterback at Indiana and in the NFL. Gibran was drafted by the Redskins in 2003 and spent time on the active rosters at Washington, San Francisco and Seattle while also earning NFL Europe MVP in 2006 as a member of the Rhein Fire.--- Mizzou Athletics ---

Missouri adds Bush Hamdan to new football coaching staff



ST. JOSEPH -&nbsp;The Missouri Western men's basketball team (5-8) ended 2019 and a three game losing streak with a 95-56 dismantling of Avila (7-10) in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons came two 3-pointers shy of tying the program record with 17 and shot 54% from the field en route to the 39-point victory. Five different Griffons scored in double-figures and the Griffon bench chipped in 54 points.

Missouri Western jumps back into MIAA play on Saturday, hosting Rogers State (11-1, 3-0) at 3:30 p.m. The Hillcats have won five straight games.



ST. JOSEPH -&nbsp;The Missouri Western men's basketball team (5-8) ended 2019 and a three game losing streak with a 95-56 dismantling of Avila (7-10) in the MWSU Fieldhouse.The Griffons came two 3-pointers shy of tying the program record with 17 and shot 54% from the field en route to the 39-point victory. Five different Griffons scored in double-figures and the Griffon bench chipped in 54 points.NOTABLES<ol>
 <li>Avila led 3-2 for two minutes and never led again after MWSU answered with a 23-3 run.</li><li>MWSU went 17 for 36 from 3-point range, two shy of the program record for made 3-pointers in a game set last year against Washburn.</li><li>Reese Glover&nbsp;went 6 for 8 from 3-point range with five in the first half. The freshman made four straight behind the arc to end the first half. His 18 points paced the team</li><li>Even with the 17 3-pointers, the Griffons managed to score 40 points in the paint, allowing just 14.</li><li>Missouri Western shot 54.4% from the field, 47.2% from 3-point range and held Avila to 28.3% field goal shooting.</li><li>Zach Anderson&nbsp;scored a career-high 14 points in 12 minutes off the bench with five rebounds.</li><li>Tyrell Carroll&nbsp;had a double-double with 11 assists and 10 points.</li><li>Will Eames&nbsp;dropped 14 points and had five rebounds, tied for the team lead with three other teammates.</li>
 </ol>UP NEXTMissouri Western jumps back into MIAA play on Saturday, hosting Rogers State (11-1, 3-0) at 3:30 p.m. The Hillcats have won five straight games.

--- MWSU Athletics ---

Griffons roll past Avila 95-56 to stop three-game skid



ST. JOSEPH -&nbsp;After shaking off the rust of having not played a game in two weeks, the Missouri Western women's basketball team (9-2) cruised to a 76-48 win over Avila (6-5) in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

Avila jumped out to a 7-3 lead, but Missouri Western ended the first quarter on an 18-2 run to take a 21-9 lead after one quarter of play. The Griffons rolled from there. Five different players scored in double figures and six had at least five rebounds for a season-high 51 total boards.

Missouri Western jumps back into MIAA play on Saturday, hosting Rogers State (2-10, 0-3) at 1:30 p.m.

ST. JOSEPH -&nbsp;After shaking off the rust of having not played a game in two weeks, the Missouri Western women's basketball team (9-2) cruised to a 76-48 win over Avila (6-5) in the MWSU Fieldhouse.Avila jumped out to a 7-3 lead, but Missouri Western ended the first quarter on an 18-2 run to take a 21-9 lead after one quarter of play. The Griffons rolled from there. Five different players scored in double figures and six had at least five rebounds for a season-high 51 total boards.NOTABLES<ol>
 <li>Missouri Western forced 24 Avila turnovers, totaling 16 steals with 21 points scored off the turnovers.</li><li>The Griffons scored 48 of their points in the paint, outscoring Avila by 28 in the lane.</li><li>MWSU also outscored Avila 27-5 on fast breaks.</li><li>MWSU's bench added 28 points, including 10 from&nbsp;Anastacia Johnson. Johnson also had seven rebounds, two assists and three steals.</li><li>Katrina Roenfeldt&nbsp;scored 10 points with a team-high six assists and four steals. She also had seven rebounds.</li><li>Chris Wilson&nbsp;led MWSU with 17 points and was one of three Griffs with seven rebounds.</li><li>Corbyn Cunningham&nbsp;scored 15 with six boards.</li>
 </ol>UP NEXTMissouri Western jumps back into MIAA play on Saturday, hosting Rogers State (2-10, 0-3) at 1:30 p.m.--- MWSU Athletics ---

MWSU women defeat Avila 76-48 for 4th straight win

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Navy built the biggest turnaround of any team in college football this season by relying on the nation's most prolific rushing attack.

So, naturally, the 21st-ranked Midshipmen won the Liberty Bowl on Tuesday by completing a fourth-down halfback option pass in the final minute.

CJ Williams' 41-yard completion to Chance Warren on fourth-and-3 gave Navy first-and-goal from the 5-yard line. After quarterback Malcolm Perry spiked the ball, Bijan Nichols kicked a 23-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give Navy a 20-17 victory over Kansas State.

"Sometimes you just go with your gut," Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "You have all this analytics stuff and all these sheets, but sometimes you've got to go with your gut and roll with it."

Perry was named the Liberty Bowl most valuable player after rushing for 213 yards and throwing a touchdown pass.

Perry ran for 2,017 yards this year to set a Football Bowl Subdivision record by a quarterback. The mark had been owned by Jordan Lynch, who ran for 1,920 yards for Northern Illinois in 2013.

"I still really can't believe it," Perry said.

But the ball was only briefly in Perry's hands on the play that mattered most of all.

Twenty-nine seconds remained when Navy (11-2) snapped the ball at the Kansas State 46. Perry pitched right to Williams, who found Warren racing wide open down the right side of the field.

"The corner was really aggressive, ran right past me, so I knew I'd be wide open," said Warren, who also scored on a 20-yard reverse in the third quarter. "I just tried to make a play on the ball, come down with it and set the team up for success."

That big play left things up to Nichols, who missed a 38-yard field goal earlier in the fourth quarter. This time, Nichols stayed poised and made the kick even after Kansas State (8-5) called three straight timeouts in an attempt to ice him.

"Obviously you never want to miss," Nichols said. "But when you do, you need to make sure you bounce back, so I was glad to have another opportunity to do that."

A most fitting way to end a bounce-back season.

After going 3-10 last year, Navy matched the second-biggest season-to-season improvement in win-loss record of any team in Football Bowl Subdivision history. Hawaii went 9-4 in 1999 after finishing 0-12 in 1998.

Navy tied a program record for wins. The Mids also went 11-2 in 2015.

"Everything that's happened this year is not surprising to me because they did the work, they paid the price," Niumatalolo said. "They did everything that was asked of them. I couldn't be more happy for a group of young men."

Navy outgained Kansas State 421-170 but wasted a couple of opportunities to put the game away. The Mids led 17-10 late in the third quarter when a holding penalty wiped out a 31-yard run by Perry that would have given them first-and-goal at the 2. Navy ended up punting.

Nichols then sent his 38-yard field goal attempt wide left with 8:26 left in the game.

Kansas State finally got its offense going at that point, as Skylar Thompson connected with Wykeen Gill on a 15-yard completion and a 42-yard pass on back-to-back plays. Those long gains set up Thompson's 1-yard sneak that tied the game with 5:14 left.

"I thought we did a really nice job of slowing them down in the red zone," Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. "Give them credit. They pulled out a couple of trick plays at the right time, and they made those plays."

Navy: The Mids set a school record by rushing for an FBS-leading 4,687 yards this season, but they also had a vastly improved defense that held Kansas State in check for much of the day. Kansas State's offense didn't reach the end zone for the first 54 1/2 minutes of the game. The Wildcats' first touchdown came on a 66-yard punt return by Phillip Brooks, who also dropped a potential TD pass on the opening series.

Kansas State: The Wildcats ranked fourth nationally in time of possession during the regular season but couldn't keep their offense on the field Tuesday as Perry controlled the clock. Kansas State still has reason to feel good about itself. Picked before the season to finish ninth out of 10 teams in the Big 12, the Wildcats instead won eight games and stunned eventual Big 12 champion Oklahoma in Klieman's debut season.

Perry's 213 yards rushing represented the second-highest total in the Liberty Bowl's 61-game history. Colorado's Bob Anderson rushed for 254 yards in a 47-33 victory over Alabama in 1969. ... The announced attendance of 50,515 represented the smallest Liberty Bowl crowd since 1997.

This victory ensured that Navy will finish a season in the AP Top 25 for just the third time in the last 56 years. Navy finished 18th in 2015 and 24th in 2004.

Navy will head overseas to open the 2020 season Aug. 29 by facing Notre Dame at Dublin, Ireland. The Mids will have a tough time matching Perry's production. Freshman Perry Olsen backed up Perry this season.

Kansas State opens its 2020 season Sept. 5 by hosting Buffalo. The Wildcats return Thompson and first-team all-Big 12 defensive end Wyatt Hubert but must replace graduate transfer running backs James Gilbert and Jordon Brown as well as their entire starting offensive line.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Navy built the biggest turnaround of any team in college football this season by relying on the nation's most prolific rushing attack.So, naturally, the 21st-ranked Midshipmen won the Liberty Bowl on Tuesday by completing a fourth-down halfback option pass in the final minute.CJ Williams' 41-yard completion to Chance Warren on fourth-and-3 gave Navy first-and-goal from the 5-yard line. After quarterback Malcolm Perry spiked the ball, Bijan Nichols kicked a 23-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give Navy a 20-17 victory over Kansas State."Sometimes you just go with your gut," Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "You have all this analytics stuff and all these sheets, but sometimes you've got to go with your gut and roll with it."Perry was named the Liberty Bowl most valuable player after rushing for 213 yards and throwing a touchdown pass.Perry ran for 2,017 yards this year to set a Football Bowl Subdivision record by a quarterback. The mark had been owned by Jordan Lynch, who ran for 1,920 yards for Northern Illinois in 2013."I still really can't believe it," Perry said.But the ball was only briefly in Perry's hands on the play that mattered most of all.Twenty-nine seconds remained when Navy (11-2) snapped the ball at the Kansas State 46. Perry pitched right to Williams, who found Warren racing wide open down the right side of the field."The corner was really aggressive, ran right past me, so I knew I'd be wide open," said Warren, who also scored on a 20-yard reverse in the third quarter. "I just tried to make a play on the ball, come down with it and set the team up for success."That big play left things up to Nichols, who missed a 38-yard field goal earlier in the fourth quarter. This time, Nichols stayed poised and made the kick even after Kansas State (8-5) called three straight timeouts in an attempt to ice him."Obviously you never want to miss," Nichols said. "But when you do, you need to make sure you bounce back, so I was glad to have another opportunity to do that."A most fitting way to end a bounce-back season.After going 3-10 last year, Navy matched the second-biggest season-to-season improvement in win-loss record of any team in Football Bowl Subdivision history. Hawaii went 9-4 in 1999 after finishing 0-12 in 1998.Navy tied a program record for wins. The Mids also went 11-2 in 2015."Everything that's happened this year is not surprising to me because they did the work, they paid the price," Niumatalolo said. "They did everything that was asked of them. I couldn't be more happy for a group of young men."Navy outgained Kansas State 421-170 but wasted a couple of opportunities to put the game away. The Mids led 17-10 late in the third quarter when a holding penalty wiped out a 31-yard run by Perry that would have given them first-and-goal at the 2. Navy ended up punting.Nichols then sent his 38-yard field goal attempt wide left with 8:26 left in the game.Kansas State finally got its offense going at that point, as Skylar Thompson connected with Wykeen Gill on a 15-yard completion and a 42-yard pass on back-to-back plays. Those long gains set up Thompson's 1-yard sneak that tied the game with 5:14 left.Then came Navy's dramatic winning drive."I thought we did a really nice job of slowing them down in the red zone," Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. "Give them credit. They pulled out a couple of trick plays at the right time, and they made those plays."THE TAKEAWAYNavy: The Mids set a school record by rushing for an FBS-leading 4,687 yards this season, but they also had a vastly improved defense that held Kansas State in check for much of the day. Kansas State's offense didn't reach the end zone for the first 54 1/2 minutes of the game. The Wildcats' first touchdown came on a 66-yard punt return by Phillip Brooks, who also dropped a potential TD pass on the opening series.Kansas State: The Wildcats ranked fourth nationally in time of possession during the regular season but couldn't keep their offense on the field Tuesday as Perry controlled the clock. Kansas State still has reason to feel good about itself. Picked before the season to finish ninth out of 10 teams in the Big 12, the Wildcats instead won eight games and stunned eventual Big 12 champion Oklahoma in Klieman's debut season.NOTABLE NUMBERSPerry's 213 yards rushing represented the second-highest total in the Liberty Bowl's 61-game history. Colorado's Bob Anderson rushed for 254 yards in a 47-33 victory over Alabama in 1969. ... The announced attendance of 50,515 represented the smallest Liberty Bowl crowd since 1997.POLL IMPLICATIONSThis victory ensured that Navy will finish a season in the AP Top 25 for just the third time in the last 56 years. Navy finished 18th in 2015 and 24th in 2004.UP NEXTNavy will head overseas to open the 2020 season Aug. 29 by facing Notre Dame at Dublin, Ireland. The Mids will have a tough time matching Perry's production. Freshman Perry Olsen backed up Perry this season.Kansas State opens its 2020 season Sept. 5 by hosting Buffalo. The Wildcats return Thompson and first-team all-Big 12 defensive end Wyatt Hubert but must replace graduate transfer running backs James Gilbert and Jordon Brown as well as their entire starting offensive line.--- Associated Press ---

K-State loses Liberty Bowl to Navy 20-17 

CHICAGO -- Patrick Mahomes threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears 26-3 Sunday night to stay in contention for a first-round playoff bye.

Kansas City (11-4) earned its fifth straight win and remained a game behind New England for the AFC's second seed. The Patriots clinched their 11th consecutive AFC East championship by beating Buffalo on Saturday. The Chiefs hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over New England thanks to a victory two weeks ago that helped secure their fourth AFC West title in a row.

Mahomes, playing his 30th game, became the fastest player to reach the 9,000-yard passing mark. The 2018 MVP was 23 of 33 for 251 yards, giving him 9,238 in three seasons since the Chiefs drafted him with the No. 10 overall pick in 2017. Hall of Famer Kurt Warner did it in 32 games.

Mahomes also has 75 touchdown passes, making him the fastest player to hit that mark.

Travis Kelce, already the first tight end with four straight 1,000-yard seasons, became the first to reach 1,200 yards in back-to-back years. He caught eight passes for 74 yards, giving him 1,205 this year. That included a 6-yard touchdown near the end of the first half.

Harrison Butker kicked a career-best 56-yard field goal that was was the fourth longest in franchise history. He also hit both the left and right uprights on a missed extra point.

And coach Andy Reid beat protege Matt Nagy in his first meeting with his longtime former assistant.

The Bears (7-8) dropped their second straight after winning four of five. The Monsters of the Midway are in danger of finishing with a losing record in a season that began with Super Bowl hopes.

Mitchell Trubisky completed 18 of 34 passes for 157 yards. And Khalil Mack had a sack.

The Chiefs led 17-0 at halftime after scoring on all three possessions and racking up more than twice as many yards as the Bears (203-93).

Mahomes rolled to his left and went 12 yards untouched to the end zone, capping a 15-play drive that ate up 7 minutes, 58 seconds.

Butker nailed a 56-yard field goal early in the second quarter. And Mahomes hit Kelce for the TD in the closing minute of the half, after Chicago's Kevin Pierre-Louis got flagged for running into punter Dustin Colquitt.

The Bears drove to the 4 in the third, but Trubisky's fourth-down pass to Allen Robinson in the left side of the end zone got broken up by Charvarius Ward. Chicago finally scored when Eddy Pineiro kicked a 46-yard field goal as the quarter ended.

Mahomes answered with a 14-yard touchdown to Damien Williams on the opening drive of the fourth to make it 23-3. Butker then missed the extra point when the ball somehow ricocheted off the left and right uprights.

Chiefs: The Chiefs said in the fourth quarter RB Spencer Ware suffered a shoulder injury.

Bears: NT Eddie Goldman (concussion) exited in the first half. ... RG Rashaad Coward suffered a knee injury in the first half.

Chiefs: Host Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 29.

CHICAGO -- Patrick Mahomes threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears 26-3 Sunday night to stay in contention for a first-round playoff bye.Kansas City (11-4) earned its fifth straight win and remained a game behind New England for the AFC's second seed. The Patriots clinched their 11th consecutive AFC East championship by beating Buffalo on Saturday. The Chiefs hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over New England thanks to a victory two weeks ago that helped secure their fourth AFC West title in a row.Mahomes, playing his 30th game, became the fastest player to reach the 9,000-yard passing mark. The 2018 MVP was 23 of 33 for 251 yards, giving him 9,238 in three seasons since the Chiefs drafted him with the No. 10 overall pick in 2017. Hall of Famer Kurt Warner did it in 32 games.Mahomes also has 75 touchdown passes, making him the fastest player to hit that mark.Travis Kelce, already the first tight end with four straight 1,000-yard seasons, became the first to reach 1,200 yards in back-to-back years. He caught eight passes for 74 yards, giving him 1,205 this year. That included a 6-yard touchdown near the end of the first half.Harrison Butker kicked a career-best 56-yard field goal that was was the fourth longest in franchise history. He also hit both the left and right uprights on a missed extra point.And coach Andy Reid beat protege Matt Nagy in his first meeting with his longtime former assistant.The Bears (7-8) dropped their second straight after winning four of five. The Monsters of the Midway are in danger of finishing with a losing record in a season that began with Super Bowl hopes.Mitchell Trubisky completed 18 of 34 passes for 157 yards. And Khalil Mack had a sack.The Chiefs led 17-0 at halftime after scoring on all three possessions and racking up more than twice as many yards as the Bears (203-93).Mahomes rolled to his left and went 12 yards untouched to the end zone, capping a 15-play drive that ate up 7 minutes, 58 seconds.Butker nailed a 56-yard field goal early in the second quarter. And Mahomes hit Kelce for the TD in the closing minute of the half, after Chicago's Kevin Pierre-Louis got flagged for running into punter Dustin Colquitt.The Bears drove to the 4 in the third, but Trubisky's fourth-down pass to Allen Robinson in the left side of the end zone got broken up by Charvarius Ward. Chicago finally scored when Eddy Pineiro kicked a 46-yard field goal as the quarter ended.Mahomes answered with a 14-yard touchdown to Damien Williams on the opening drive of the fourth to make it 23-3. Butker then missed the extra point when the ball somehow ricocheted off the left and right uprights.INJURIESChiefs: The Chiefs said in the fourth quarter RB Spencer Ware suffered a shoulder injury.Bears: NT Eddie Goldman (concussion) exited in the first half. ... RG Rashaad Coward suffered a knee injury in the first half.UP NEXTChiefs: Host Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 29.--- Associated Press ---

Chiefs dominate Bears Sunday night 26-3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -&nbsp;The Missouri
Western Men's Basketball team (4-8) dropped its third straight game, 87-75 at
Rockhurst (5-4) on Saturday afternoon.


Down by as
many as 18 in the first half, the Griffons found their stroke and cut the
Rockhurst lead to eight at the half and got within six early in the second
half.&nbsp; Rockhurst ran away again and built a 19-point lead with 7:34 to go.&nbsp; A
late 12-4 run by MWSU cut the lead to eight with 20 seconds to go, but with
time not in favor of the Griffons, Rockhurst scored the final four points.


· Tyree Martin&nbsp;more than doubled
his career-high with 27 points on 12 of 18 shooting. He added a team-high 10
rebounds with an assist and two steals.

· Rockhurst scored 54 of
its points in the paint.

· The teams combined for
44 personal fouls and were a combined 28 of 48 from the free throw line.

· Rockhurst shot 59% from
the field but made just 3 of 10 3-point attempts and went 18 of 31 at the free
throw line.

· Tyrell Carroll&nbsp;had a team-high
six assists with 14 points.

· Will Eames&nbsp;pulled down nine
rebounds, had four assists and scored 10 points.

After a
10-day layoff, the Griffons will host Avila (7-9) as part of a doubleheader
with the Griffon Women against the NAIA opponent from Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -&nbsp;The Missouri
Western Men's Basketball team (4-8) dropped its third straight game, 87-75 at
Rockhurst (5-4) on Saturday afternoon.

Down by as
many as 18 in the first half, the Griffons found their stroke and cut the
Rockhurst lead to eight at the half and got within six early in the second
half.&nbsp; Rockhurst ran away again and built a 19-point lead with 7:34 to go.&nbsp; A
late 12-4 run by MWSU cut the lead to eight with 20 seconds to go, but with
time not in favor of the Griffons, Rockhurst scored the final four points.

NOTABLES· Tyree Martin&nbsp;more than doubled
his career-high with 27 points on 12 of 18 shooting. He added a team-high 10
rebounds with an assist and two steals.· Rockhurst scored 54 of
its points in the paint.· The teams combined for
44 personal fouls and were a combined 28 of 48 from the free throw line.· Rockhurst shot 59% from
the field but made just 3 of 10 3-point attempts and went 18 of 31 at the free
throw line.· Tyrell Carroll&nbsp;had a team-high
six assists with 14 points.· Will Eames&nbsp;pulled down nine
rebounds, had four assists and scored 10 points.
UP NEXT
After a
10-day layoff, the Griffons will host Avila (7-9) as part of a doubleheader
with the Griffon Women against the NAIA opponent from Kansas City.--- MWSU Athletics ---

Griffons come up short at Rockhurst 87-75

ST. LOUIS -- A Chicago native, Missouri Tigers guard Xavier Pinson heard an earful from the Illinois Fighting Illini's fans during the 39th Annual Braggin' Rights game on Saturday.

Pinson and his teammates had the last laugh.

Dru Smith scored 19 points, Javon Pickett added 17 off the bench, and Missouri beat Illinois 63-56.

Pinson also scored a career-high 14 points for the Tigers, who won their third straight game.

"I was just trying to get the win. I heard what he said. As a player I can't say nothing so I was just worried about the win and making sure that we won so after the game I could say something if I saw him," joked Pinson, who gave a little wave to that Illini fan in the final seconds with the game in hand. "For the most part I really don't pay attention to it. I just laugh it off."

Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 and Kofi Cockburn added 13 for Illinois, which had its two-game winning streak snapped.

The Tigers dominated with a stifling defense. Illinois shot just 18 for 50 (36%) and had three separate stretches of at least three minutes without scoring a point.

The Fighting Illini entered the game No. 1 in the country in rebounding differential, but were outrebounded by Missouri 36-32.

"We have good defensive numbers, but I think we could have truly elite numbers if we truly took pride on playing defense and not so much playing because that's what coach requires, but understanding when you defend at an elite level, you have a chance to beat anybody," Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin said.

Missouri outscored Illinois 17-5 in an eight-minute span from the end of the first half into the second.

Missouri scored eight of the last 10 points of the first half with Smith scoring all of the points during the spurt to give the Tigers a 26-23 halftime lead.

Smith started a 9-3 run to begin the second half with a bucket and finished it with a dish to Pinson for a 3-pointer from the corner to extend Missouri's lead to 35-26.

An 8-0 sprint pushed the Tigers' lead to double-digits. Pinson scored the first four points, and a Pickett put-back gave Missouri a 47-33 edge with 10:56 left.

ST. LOUIS -- A Chicago native, Missouri Tigers guard Xavier Pinson heard an earful from the Illinois Fighting Illini's fans during the 39th Annual Braggin' Rights game on Saturday.Pinson and his teammates had the last laugh.Dru Smith scored 19 points, Javon Pickett added 17 off the bench, and Missouri beat Illinois 63-56.Pinson also scored a career-high 14 points for the Tigers, who won their third straight game."I was just trying to get the win. I heard what he said. As a player I can't say nothing so I was just worried about the win and making sure that we won so after the game I could say something if I saw him," joked Pinson, who gave a little wave to that Illini fan in the final seconds with the game in hand. "For the most part I really don't pay attention to it. I just laugh it off."Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 and Kofi Cockburn added 13 for Illinois, which had its two-game winning streak snapped.The Tigers dominated with a stifling defense. Illinois shot just 18 for 50 (36%) and had three separate stretches of at least three minutes without scoring a point.The Fighting Illini entered the game No. 1 in the country in rebounding differential, but were outrebounded by Missouri 36-32."We have good defensive numbers, but I think we could have truly elite numbers if we truly took pride on playing defense and not so much playing because that's what coach requires, but understanding when you defend at an elite level, you have a chance to beat anybody," Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin said.Missouri outscored Illinois 17-5 in an eight-minute span from the end of the first half into the second.Missouri scored eight of the last 10 points of the first half with Smith scoring all of the points during the spurt to give the Tigers a 26-23 halftime lead.Smith started a 9-3 run to begin the second half with a bucket and finished it with a dish to Pinson for a 3-pointer from the corner to extend Missouri's lead to 35-26.An 8-0 sprint pushed the Tigers' lead to double-digits. Pinson scored the first four points, and a Pickett put-back gave Missouri a 47-33 edge with 10:56 left."We came in here wanting to be the physical team," Pickett said. "We wanted to go out there and be aggressive and guard the whole game. … We just wanted to be the tougher team."Illinois was able to cut the deficit to five with a Dosunmu bucket with a minute left, but Pinson and Smith quelled the rally with free throws for the Tigers.Thanks to Pickett and Pinson, the Tigers' bench outscored the Illinois reserves 31-10."We talked about extensively in practice -- Javon Pickett," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "We've got a man sitting out who does a great job of emulating him, and he wore us out for two days in practice, just doing Javon Pickett stuff."Illinois hit on 5 of its first 7 field goal attempts to start the game. Dosunmu hit a couple of jumpers and Giorgi Bezhanishvili drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Fighting Illini an 11-5 lead.Missouri started the game shooting just 3 of 13, but Pickett got the Tigers going with a pair of treys.The Tigers defense forced two prolonged Fighting Illini scoring droughts in the first half, one of over three minutes and the other over four minutes.Illinois maintained its lead for much of the half with Dosunmo's 11 points, including shooting 5 of 7.MANAGING MINUTESMissouri big man Jeremiah Tilmon sat most of the first half with two fouls and fouled out with 4:29 left in the game. But despite not having the 6-foot-10 forward's presence, the Tigers still outrebounded Illinois -- which entered the game as one of the nation's top rebounding teams -- 36-32.HE SAID IT"I always say to our guys you have to play with boxing gloves on, then we'll start playing basketball," Martin said. "I don't say that like we're fighting. They understand what I mean. It has to be a physical game, do it without fouling. You have to set a tone of toughness before you step on to the floor because I think if you walk on the floor casual the result will be like Charleston."BIG PICTUREIllinois: Despite dropping their second-straight to the Tigers, the Fighting Illini still leads the Braggin' Rights series 25-14.Missouri: After starting the month with the worst loss in recent memory to Charleston Southern on Dec. 3, the Tigers finished the month on a high by winning their second-straight Braggin' Rights game, propelling them into SEC play."He needs to figure out how to make all the other opponents they play wear Illinois jerseys," Underwood said of Martin. "Because that's a team that played as well as they've played all year."UP NEXTIllinois hosts North Carolina A&amp;T on December 29.Missouri returns home to face Chicago State on December 30.--- Associated Press ---

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