COLUMBIA, Mo.&nbsp;&nbsp;– Mizzou Women's Basketball (2-4, 0-0 SEC) defeated SIU Edwardsville (1-5, 0-0 OVC, 68-51, on Sunday afternoon in front of a home crowd at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers recorded their highest field goal-percentage from the field this season, while also holding their opposition to the lowest shooting performance of the season (27 percent). Senior guard&nbsp;Amber Smith&nbsp;(Shreveport, La.) led the Tigers in scoring with 15 points, the fifth time in six games she has reached the double-figure mark. Junior guard&nbsp;Nadia Green&nbsp;(Chicago, Ill.) set the pace for Mizzou to open the contest, pouring in eight of the Tiger's first 12 points. She would go on to finish with career highs in points (10, rebounds (right) and assists (three). In the second quarter Mizzou shined on the defensive end, holding the Cougars to just four points, a season-low for a Tiger opponent in a quarter. The defensive efforts continued for Mizzou in the second half, holding SIUE to just 13 points in the third quarter, while they held the Cougars to under 30 percent from the field to finish out the contest. <h3>TURNING POINT</h3>Both offenses were firing early, as the Tigers and Cougars were tied 20-20 at the end of first quarter. However, in the second quarter, the Mizzou defense took over, holding SIUE to just four points to end the quarter with an 11-point lead. On the offensive end, the Tigers were able to speed things up, scoring on multiple fast breaks and nifty passes. Smith led the second quarter charge, scoring four points, while senior forward&nbsp;Hannah Schuchts&nbsp;(Tallahassee, Fla.) and senior guard&nbsp;Jordan Chavis&nbsp;(Lexington, N.C) added three points each. The Tigers didn't look back, securing a 17-point victory. <h3>TOP TIGERS</h3><ul><li>Green scored a career high 10 points in the victory, while also leading the team in rebounds and assists, grabbing a career-high eight rebounds and dishing out a career-high three assists.</li><li>With a team high 15 points Smith went 6-for-6 at the free throw line and snagged seven rebounds for the Tigers.</li><li>Freshman forward&nbsp;Hayley Frank&nbsp;(Strafford, Mo.) scored in double digits for the fourth consecutive game, scoring 12 points while collecting four rebounds in 22 minutes of play.</li></ul><h3>NOTES</h3><ul><li>With the victory, Mizzou improves to 6-0 all-time against SIUE.</li><li>Mizzou shot 47 percent from the field, the highest mark this season (26-of-55). The Tigers move to 2-1 when shooting about 45 percent.</li><li>The Tigers held SIUE to a season-low 27 percent (20-of-73) from the field. This is the lowest field-goal percentage since the Tigers held Quinnipiac to 21 percent shooting last season (Nov. 24, 2018). Last season, the Tigers were 6-0 when holding opponents under 30 percent from the field.</li><li>Mizzou also held SIUE to a season-low 51 points.</li><li>The Tiger defense came up big in the second quarter, holding SIUE to just four points. This is the lowest a Mizzou opponent has scored since Mizzou held Auburn to just two points in the first quarter last season (Jan. 27, 2019).</li><li>Mizzou enforced their dominance down low in the contest, outscoring SIUE 44-14 in the paint.</li><li>Junior guard&nbsp;<a href="https://mutigers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7375" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: black;">Nadia Green</a>&nbsp;came out firing early, scoring eight of the Tiger's first 12 points. She finished the game with 10 points, a new career high and the first time she has scored in double figures in her career.</li><li>Green also recorded a career highs in rebounds (eight) and assists (three).</li><li>Senior guard&nbsp;<a href="https://mutigers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7379" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: black;">Amber Smith</a>&nbsp;blocked three shots in the win, her first game this season with multiple blocks. This is now the eighth time in Smith's career that she has recorded three or more blocks.</li><li>Smith scored 15 points in the game, the 45th&nbsp;time in her career she has reached double figures, and the 27th&nbsp;time in her career she's scored 15+ points.</li><li>With two blocks, senior forward&nbsp;<a href="https://mutigers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7378" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: black;">Hannah Schuchts</a>&nbsp;has now recorded multiple blocks in three straight games. She now has 95 career blocks.</li><li>Redshirt sophomore guard&nbsp;<a href="https://mutigers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7380" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: black;">Haley Troup</a>&nbsp;dished out two assists in the victory, matching a season high.</li><li>Redshirt freshman forward&nbsp;<a href="https://mutigers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7374" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: black;">Brittany Garner</a>&nbsp;scored her first career-points in the third quarter, scoring on a putback layup. She finished the game with eight points.</li><li>With 10 points, freshman forward&nbsp;<a href="https://mutigers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7383" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: black;">Hayley Frank</a>&nbsp;recorded her fourth straight game in double digits. Over her last four games, Frank is averaging 14.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.</li><li>Freshman guard&nbsp;<a href="https://mutigers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7381" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: black;">Aijha Blackwell</a>&nbsp;grabbed five rebounds on the day, matching a career high.</li></ul><h3>UP NEXT</h3>Next, Mizzou travels to Cancun, Mexico for the Cancun Challenge, where they will face New Mexico and North Carolina. The Tigers tipoff against New Mexico at 3:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Nov. 28, and against North Carolina at 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 29. --- Mizzou Athletics ---

Mizzou women defeat SIU-Edwardsville to stop four-game skid

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Antwain Johnson hit a pair of foul shots with 5.7 seconds left to lift Buffalo to a 75-74 win over Missouri State to take fifth place at the Charleston Classic on Sunday. Davonta Jordan led the Bulls (4-2) with 25 points. Buffalo had a 13-point lead late in the first half and were still ahead 56-47 with nine minutes left, but had to hold off the Bears (3-4) down the stretch. The lead changed hands eight times in the final four minutes. Gaige Prim's basket with 46 seconds left gave Missouri State it's last lead at 74-73. After the Bears' Keandre Cook missed a foul shot with 12 seconds to go, Johnson drove right toward the basket and was fouled. He calmly made both to give Buffalo two wins in three tournament games. Prim led Missouri State with 21 points. --- Associated Press ---

Missouri State loses to Buffalo in final game of Charleston Classic

CLASS 3 QUARTERFINALOdessa 53Savannah 31 CLASS 2 QUARTERFINALLathrop 38Summit Christian Academy 6 CLASS 2 SEMIFINALS - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30Lathrop @ Luthern NorthClark County @ Ava CLASS 1 QUARTERFINALMid-Buchanan 35South Harrison 8 CLASS 1 SEMIFINALS - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30Mid-Buchanan @ Valle CatholicMarceline @ Lincoln 8-MAN SEMIFINALSMound City 52Drexel 6 Southwest Livingston 74Pattonsburg 68 8-MAN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30Mound City vs. Southwest Livingston

Area High School Football Playoff Scores - November 23

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The Northwest Missouri State University football team advanced to the second round of the 2019 NCAA Division II playoffs with a 7-6 victory over the Harding&nbsp;Bisons&nbsp;at Bearcat Stadium. Northwest (11-1 overall) moves to 30-3 all-time at home in the playoffs. It also marks the&nbsp;23rd&nbsp;straight playoff victory at home for the Bearcats. In a game with a minimal amount of scoring, the&nbsp;Bisons&nbsp;were able to score with a 1:14 left in the game on a six-yard keeper by quarterback Tristan Tucker. Harding head coach Paul Simmons went for the two-point conversion, but the Bearcat defense came up with yet another stop. Coming into the matchup both defenses were rated as fierce competition as Harding ranked No. 22 in rush defense in the country and No. 13 in pass defense in the country. From Northwest's side, its rush defense ranked No. 10 and for a run-based team like Harding that causes problems. The problems started in the first half as both teams were held in check. Harding at the end of the first half had a total of 39 rushing yards and no passing yards, and per play was averaging 1.6 yards per play. Northwest was struggling on its front as it managed 42 rushing yards and 134 passing yards for 2.8 yards per play. Harding's lack of yards in the first half was built by the pressure of the Northwest defense, as the&nbsp;Bisons&nbsp;had their fair share of miscues. From missing reads to fumbling the ball three times, Harding couldn't muster anything which kept its offense in check with only three first-half first downs. The only score in the first half came on the opening drive as the Bearcats went 75 yards in nine plays. Braden Wright found Kyle&nbsp;Raunig&nbsp;in the end zone with 11:57 in the first quarter. For&nbsp;Raunig&nbsp;it was his fourth catch on the year and his second touchdown. The high-powered defenses continued to stall all momentum from both sides as the second half turned into a punting battle as the focus was on field position. Harding managed 151 yards total in the game, as it had 119 yards in the second half. Fifty-six of those yards came on the final drive that ended in a touchdown. Northwest, on the other side, managed just 29 yards in the second half (9 rushing, 20 passing). One of the biggest plays of the half came when Harding went for it on fourth and three from the 49-yard line. Harding's quarterback Robert&nbsp;Wilcke&nbsp;fumbled the snap and was hit immediately by Spencer Phillips and Andy&nbsp;Hessler. Though that was one of the biggest plays, the most critical play of the game came in the closing moments of the game. After a 21-yard rush, the Bison were given a quality field position at the Bearcat 32 with 4:40 left in the game. Harding gained another set of downs and had 2:30 on the clock to score from the 14-yard line. The clock continued to click down, as&nbsp;Bisons&nbsp;were able to score with 1:14 left in the game to make the score 7-6 in favor of Northwest, but Harding went for the victory. They ran a toss to the right side and was met by a crowd of Northwest defenders to keep the Bearcats on top, 7-6. Harding tried to recover the onside kick but was unable to grab it. This allowed the Bearcats to kneel out the clock and escape with a 7-6 victory over the&nbsp;Bisons.&nbsp;Northwest will be at home next Saturday against&nbsp;Lindenwood&nbsp;in the second round of the playoffs. The start time will be determined Monday.&nbsp;Lindenwood&nbsp;defeated Ouachita Baptist, 41-38. Online ticket sales will begin Sunday at 5 p.m. for Saturday's contest vs.&nbsp;Lindenwood. In-person ticket sales will begin Monday at 8 a.m. at the Administration Building on the Northwest campus. In-person ticket sales will close at the end of business on Tuesday with the Northwest campus being closed for Thanksgiving.&nbsp;On Saturday, Nov. 30, ticket sales and gates will open 90 minutes prior to kick. Stadium gates will also open 90 minutes prior to the game vs.&nbsp;Lindenwood.&nbsp; Notes: Northwest added to its Division II playoff win record with its 49th&nbsp;all-time playoff victory … Northwest is 49-17 in the playoffs … Harding falls to 5-6 all-time in the playoffs with three of the losses coming at Northwest … Northwest’s Brody Buck recorded a sack of Harding for only the fifth sack this season allowed by the&nbsp;Bisons&nbsp;… Harding was limited to nine first downs … Northwest was held to a season-low 51 rushing yards … the game featured zero turnovers … Braden Wright passed for 154 yards on 16-of-28 passing with a touchdown … Alec Tatum tallied a team-high five receptions for 63 yards … Brody Buck notched a career-high 13 tackles … Jackson Barnes totaled 12 tackles … Zach Howard posted a team-high two tackles-for-loss … Harding won the time of possession battle, 34:41 to 25:19.

Bearcats defeat Harding in playoff opener 7-6

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Jarrett Guarantano threw for 415 yards and two touchdown passes to lead Tennessee to a 24-20 victory over Missouri on Saturday night. Tennessee (6-5, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) has won four straight games and is bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. Missouri (5-6, 2-5) has lost its last five. After coming off the bench the previous six games, Guarantano started the game and completed 23 of 40 passes. "When you play against these guys, the different looks they give you, you're going to have to check at the line of scrimmage, and he absolutely gives us the best chance to do that," Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt said. "And, hey, we've got confidence in him. He's got everything you need to be a good quarterback, and tonight was far and away his best game." Josh Palmer had six receptions for 124 yards. Jauan Jennings added five catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, and Martez Callaway had six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. When Tucker McCann made a 30-yard field goal to cap Missouri's first drive, it was the first time the Tigers have led in a game since an Oct. 12 victory over Mississippi. Kelly Bryant completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Badie in the second quarter for the Tigers' first TD in 32 drives. Bryant finished 16-of-28 passing for 166 yards. "They battled, they competed, they fought and we came up short," Missouri coach Barry Odom said. "And I hate it that it resulted in a loss." Tennessee took a 14-10 lead late in the second quarter on a drive in which it made four third-down conversions and was capped by Guarantano's 16-yard touchdown pass to Jennings, who broke three tackles to get into the end zone. The Volunteers took over on their own 24 with 38 seconds left in the half, and Guarantano moved them crisply down the field to set up Brent Cimaglia's 27-yard field goal as time expired to give Tennessee a 17-10 halftime lead. Missouri tied the game in the third quarter on a trick play. Bryant threw a backward pass to Micah Wilson, who found a wide-open Badie in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown. Wilson began his career as a quarterback before switching to wide receiver after last season. Tennessee reclaimed the lead for good at 24-17 after Callaway grabbed a 17-yard touchdown pass from Guarantano despite being interfered with on the play. The Volunteers converted 9 of 15 third downs and outgained the Tigers 526-280. BIG PICTURE Tennessee: After starting the season with home losses to Georgia State and BYU, the Volunteers clinched bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016. Tennessee's only losses since those two early defeats came against current Top 10 teams Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Missouri: The Tigers were 5-1 and ranked 22nd entering their Oct. 19 game at Vanderbilt. A loss to the Commodores began a slide that has led to questions about coach Barry Odom's job security. Odom is 24-25 in four seasons at his alma mater. He has a chance to even his record and secure bowl eligibility against struggling Arkansas. WAITING FOR FINAL DECISION Missouri was hit in January with an NCAA postseason ban for academic violations committed before Odom took over as coach, but the school is appealing the ban and the NCAA has yet to rule on the appeal. HE SAID IT "I'm excited for our players, especially our seniors. When we came in after the Florida game, we're sitting 1-4, and we said, `We're going to make a bowl. How are we going to do it?' Pruitt said. "We had one of those meetings. And those guys backed up what they said they were going to do." UP NEXT Tennessee: The Volunteers return home for their regular-season finale Saturday against Vanderbilt. Missouri: The Tigers finish the regular season against Arkansas on Friday in Little Rock, Arkansas. --- Associated Press ---

Mizzou falls at home to Tennessee, 24-20, for fifth straight loss

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Joshua Youngblood returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and Skylar Thompson passed for 246 yards and two touchdowns as Kansas State beat Texas Tech 30-27 on Saturday night. Youngblood fielded the kickoff one yard deep in the end zone midway through the third quarter, ran up the right side and covered the final 40 yards running just inches inside the right sideline, eluding multiple defenders. Blake Lynch kicked two 32-yard field goals and a 43-yarder for Kansas State (7-4, 4-4 Big 12, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Thompson's touchdown passes were 14 yards to Phillip Brooks in the third quarter and 48 yards to Chabastin Taylor midway in the fourth quarter. SaRodorick Thompson had a 5-yard touchdown run and Jett Duffey passed for 334 yards and two touchdowns for Texas Tech (4-7, 2-6) which fell short of bowl eligibility. Duffey's touchdown passes were 21 yards to Erik Ezukanma and 58 yards to R.J. Turner. Trey Wolff kicked field goals of 44 and 27 yards for the Red Raiders. Youngblood, a freshman who went into play leading the conference averaging 29.5 yards per kickoff return, had a 98-yarder for a touchdown against Texas on Nov. 9. Kansas State has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns this season. THE TAKEAWAY Kansas State: The Wildcats rebounded nicely following last week's home loss against West Virginia after which some players said they took the Mountaineers lightly. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders aren't going to a bowl for the second straight season. That hasn't happened since the 1990-92 seasons in the Southwest Conference under Spike Dykes. UP NEXT Kansas State: Will host Iowa State next Saturday. Texas Tech: Will finish its season Friday at Texas, where it has won on its last two trips. --- Associated Press ---

Kansas State hangs on to win at Texas Tech 30-27

AMES, Iowa -- With a chance to finish off the surprisingly tough Jayhawks, Iowa State coach Matt Campbell put the game in sophomore quarterback Brock Purdy's hands. Purdy made Campbell look like a genius, closing the door on Kansas with a fourth-down touchdown pass with 1:09 left. Purdy threw for 372 yards and four TDs -- including the game-clinching one on fourth-and-goal from the 4 -- and Iowa State rallied to beat Kansas 41-31 on Saturday and clinch its third straight winning season. "Like I told our seniors, it was fitting that guts, toughness (and) heart was the way we were able to win," Campbell said. "We didn't play great. I'm not going to sugarcoat that in any way, shape or form." La'Michael Pettway had 96 yards receiving and two touchdowns for the Cyclones (7-4, 5-3 Big 12, who've now complied three consecutive winning years just twice in the modern era. Iowa State, under coach Earle Bruce, won eight games each in 1976, 1977 and 1978 before Bruce bolted for Ohio State. But the Cyclones nearly blew it against the league's last-place team. Kansas (3-8, 1-7) scored two touchdowns in just 77 seconds late in the third quarter, the second coming after Purdy threw an interception, to jump ahead 24-21. Purdy responded with a 24-yard TD pass to Breece Hall, and he ran for a five-yard touchdown with 5:10 left to put Iowa State back on top 34-31. After stopping Kansas on fourth down at the Iowa State 37, the Cyclones could have either kicked the chip-shot field goal and made it a six-point game -- with Kansas out of timeouts -- or go for it all. Campbell went for the kill, and Purdy scrambled away from danger until Shaw could get open for the score that sealed Iowa State's fifth straight win over Kansas, a 24-point underdog entering play. "They made one more play than we did, certainly at the end," Kansas coach Les Miles said. Carter Stanley threw for 328 yards and three TDs for Kansas, and Pooka Williams ran for 154 yards. "Sick, frustrated," Williams said of the vibe in the KU locker room. "But I feel like we have a chance...against every team we play." THE BIG PICTURE Iowa State: The Cyclones' defense, which has been really good for most of the season, had one of its worst games in years. Iowa State allowed 493 yards and nine third-down conversions. But the Cyclones had Purdy, who has blossomed into one of the nation's best this season. "When this team has needed him the most, he's been his best," Campbell said. Kansas: The Jayhawks also went for a huge gamble late, going for it on 4th-down-and-5 with 4:18 left down by three. It didn't work, as Stanley threw a ball over the middle and behind the sticks that Anthony Johnson swatted away. Still, Kansas can take solace in knowing it threw the ultimate scare into a program whose ascent the Jayhawks will look to emulate in the years ahead. "I would rather have had the ball in our hands than in their hands. So the opportunity to go for it on fourth down when your quarterback is hot and the opportunity to keep that possession, keep the ball in our hands was just what I wanted to do," Miles said of his decision to go for it. PIVOTAL MOMENT The Cyclones let Kansas drive 85 yards on its final possession of the first half, which was reminiscent of the 75-yard, 30-second TD drive Texas had to close out the second quarter last week. But Iowa State held KU to a field goal and then a three-and-out to open the third quarter, and Purdy's 4-yard TD toss to Pettway less than three minutes later made it 21-9. That sequence got lost in the madness that ensued, but the Cyclones likely don't win the game without such a response. THE NUMBERS Breece Hall ran for 97 yards. ...Andrew Parchment caught eight passes for 86 yards, and Stephon Robinson had 75 yards receiving -- including a 40-yard TD with 10:42 to go that put Kansas back on top 31-27. ...Iowa State finished with 489 yards and scored on all four of its trips to the red zone. ...The Cyclones were 10 of 16 on third down. ...Liam Jones hit field goals of 36, 37 and 30 yards for Kansas. But the result might have been different in the Jayhawks could have punched it in instead on any of those drives. UP NEXT Iowa State plays at Kansas State on Nov. 30. Kansas hosts Baylor next Saturday. --- Associated Press ---

Kansas blows 4th quarter lead, loses at Iowa State 41-31

The Northwest Missouri State University men's cross country team put together the best performance in program history with a fifth-place finish at the 2019 NCAA Championship in Sacramento, California. Northwest's&nbsp;Karim&nbsp;Achengli&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jhordan&nbsp;Ccope&nbsp;notched All-America honors and led the way with a pair of top-10 finishes.&nbsp;Achengli&nbsp;placed sixth overall (29:52.5, while&nbsp;Ccope&nbsp;took ninth (30:04.1). Augostine&nbsp;Lisoreng&nbsp;narrowly missed All-America honors with a&nbsp;41st&nbsp;place finish (30:44.1). Mike&nbsp;Lagat&nbsp;took&nbsp;67th&nbsp;(31:12.1) and Jake Norris placed&nbsp;124th&nbsp;(31.48.4). NCAA Team Standings (Top Five)1. Colorado Mines&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;572. Adams State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1363. Chico State&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1434. Grand Valley St.&nbsp;&nbsp;1775. Northwest Mo. St. 206 Northwest's Finishers6.&nbsp;Karim&nbsp;Achengli&nbsp;29:52.59.&nbsp;Jhordan&nbsp;Ccope&nbsp;30:04.141.&nbsp;Augostine&nbsp;Lisoreng&nbsp;30:44.167. Mike&nbsp;Lagat&nbsp;31:12.1124. Jacob Norris 31.48.4251. Tucker&nbsp;Dahle&nbsp;34:17.8254. Kyle&nbsp;Drzka&nbsp;34:22.9

Northwest cross country finishes fifth at NCAA Championships

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- It had been seven weeks since Nebraska had a victory to savor, so the Cornhuskers unapologetically celebrated each touchdown with exuberance and happily romped off the field in the rain after the final whistle. Better yet, the Cornhuskers' first win since Oct. 5 kept alive their hope of salvaging a disappointing season by becoming bowl eligible. Utilizing the skills of multi-faceted quarterback Adrian Martinez and an opportunistic defense, Nebraska pummeled Maryland 54-7 Saturday to end a four-game skid. The Cornhuskers' long wait for their fifth victory included a pair of bye weeks and wore heavily on the patience of second-year coach Scott Frost. Against Maryland, however, the ball bounced Nebraska's way in the form of four fumble recoveries. "We're overdue to get some breaks," Frost said. "I know we got some tipped balls and some turnovers. Those things can happen when you're on a roll." The result was a feel-good victory that could have a lasting impact. If Nebraska beats Iowa at home on Friday, the Cornhuskers will become bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. "We're going to do everything we can to try to get ready for a really good team," Frost said. "A win today gives us a chance." Playing for the first time in Maryland, the Cornhuskers (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) bolted to a 17-0 lead and coasted to the finish. Along the way, they high-fived and hugged each other and danced in the end zone. "I was really happy with the team just having the enthusiasm they had, playing for each other," Frost said. "This team could have shut it down, turned it off, stopped caring, stopped playing hard. They're not doing that." Martinez ran for 94 yards and a score and went 16 for 25 for 194 yards and two touchdowns, both to JD Spielman. He was taken out in the third quarter with the score 44-0. The defense deserves some credit, too. Maryland (3-8, 1-7) could muster only 206 yards and nine first downs in its sixth straight defeat. It took a 58-yard touchdown run by Javon Leake with 3:13 remaining to ruin Nebraska's bid for its first shutout since a 33-0 rout of Arizona in the 2009 Holiday Bowl. That took nothing away from an uplifting, overdue victory for the Cornhuskers. "It gave me hope," defensive tackle Darrion Daniels said. "It put us in a position where we have an opportunity to extend our season." Maryland has absorbed many a lopsided loss during coach Mike Locksley's first season, but this one might be the most embarrassing given that the Cornhuskers had previously won only once on the road. The Terrapins lost two quarterbacks to injuries along the way, Tyrrell Pigrome (lower body) and Lance LeGendre, who separated a shoulder. Three fumbles by Leake and some untimely penalties ruined Senior Day for the Terps. "The thing that continues to sit in my craw is the fact that it's us hurting us," Locksley said. "We had four turnovers, a bunch of penalties on special teams that kind of broke the back of our team early in the game. You don't win games when you beat yourselves." It started early when Leake lost a fumble on Maryland's first offensive play to set up a 6-yard run by Dedrick Mills. Martinez scored on a 1-yard run for a 14-0 lead after the Terrapins were called for a personal foul on a Nebraska punt. It was 17-0 when Spielman caught a 25-yard touchdown pass after two Terps tipped it in the end zone. A 16-yard toss from Martinez to Spielman helped the Cornhuskers go up 34-0 at the break, tying their largest halftime lead ever in a Big Ten game. Spielman finished with seven catches for 104 yards, becoming the first Nebraska player to have three seasons of 800 yards receiving. He started the day receiving an IV for the flu, Frost said. THE TAKEAWAY Nebraska: The Cornhuskers finally played to their potential for the first time since September, and if they keep it up against Iowa they will be going bowling in December. Maryland: This might be the nadir of a brutal season under Locksley. Losing to Ohio State 73-14 and Penn State 59-0 is one thing, but a 44-point loss to Nebraska at home on Senior Day is just humiliating. "Definitely," Locksley said. "We had 16 seniors who have been through a lot during their time here, and for us to not play to our ability (hurts)." GETTING HIS KICKS With kicker Barret Pickering out with a health issue, walk-on Matt Waldoch made his debut at Nebraska and handled the job perfectly. He made all three of his field goal tries -- each from 29 yards -- and went 4 for 4 on PATs. UP NEXT Nebraska: Playing on Black Friday for the 30th consecutive year, the Cornhuskers will seek to snap a four-game losing streak against Iowa. Maryland: The Terrapins close the season at Michigan State, which blanked Rutgers on Saturday and can become bowl eligible by defeating Maryland. --- Associated Press ---

Nebraska rips Maryland 54-7 to remain in bowl pursuit

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -&nbsp;The third time was not a charm for the Missouri Western volleyball as they lost in three sets to Northwest Missouri State in the opening round of the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City Thursday. The Griffons end their season 17-13 as they lost all three matches in 2019 to the Bearcats. After two five-set thrillers with their rivals in the regular season, Missouri Western dropped the first set 25-12, the second 25-18 and the third 27-25. The Griffons hit .068 in the first with a 29 sideout percentage. Missouri Western kept the second close until the Bearcats closed out the set outscoring MWSU 10-4. The back-and-forth third set included eight ties and six lead changes.&nbsp;Sam Duncan&nbsp;got a Griff rally going in the third, serving on five points of a 6-0 run for the Griffs. With Northwest leading 23-20 in the third, MWSU scored four straight to give MWSU the serve on the first game point. The teams traded points back and forth until the Bearcats ended it with back-to-back kills. NOTABLES<ul><li>Northwest had 10 more kills (47) than the Griffs and recorded six aces to MWSU's three.</li><li>The Bearcats hit .267 in the match with the Griffons hitting .129.</li><li>No Griffons reached double-digit kills;&nbsp;Karly Tharp&nbsp;led the team with eight and had 10 digs.</li><li>Danielle Moje&nbsp;had seven kills with three in each of the final two sets and two blocks.</li><li>Alie Kerns and&nbsp;Ali Tauchen&nbsp;each had six kills with Tauchen adding 16 digs and two blocks.</li><li>Tiana Butler&nbsp;led the team with 18 digs.</li><li>Lauren Murphy&nbsp;had 25 assists.</li></ul> Northwest Missouri advanced to face top-seeded and No. 2-ranked Nebraska Kearney in the MIAA semifinals on Saturday. --- MWSU Athletics ---

Griffons get swept by Northwest in opening round of MIAA volleyball tournament

MARYVILLE, Missouri - The No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men's basketball team toppled the visiting William Jewell Cardinals, 102-59. The Bearcats won for the&nbsp;44th&nbsp;straight time and shot a blistering 59.4 percent from the field, which included 15-of-29 from three-point range (51.7%) in front of 1,323 fans in Bearcat Arena.&nbsp;Northwest has shot 55.6 percent or better in five of its six games this season.&nbsp;The Cardinals were held to 37.7% shooting from the field. The Cardinals made only 5-of-21 shots from the arc (23.8%). The Bearcat blitz happened early and often as the home squad built a 29-8 lead barely 10 minutes into the contest. Northwest would lead by as may as 24 in the first half in building a 45-23 cushion over William Jewell. The onslaught continued in the second half as Northwest led by as many as 45 at 93-48 with 4:32 to play in the game. Northwest's bench provided quite a boost on Thursday as the trio of Luke Waters, Daric&nbsp;Laing&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jaran&nbsp;Richman&nbsp;combined to make 9-of-11 from beyond the three-point arc. Waters was 4-of-5 from distance,&nbsp;Laing&nbsp;went 3-of-4 and&nbsp;Richman&nbsp;buried both of his long-range jumpers. The Bearcat bench outscored the Cardinal bench, 29-20. Not to be upstaged, the Bearcats starters did damage as well. Diego Bernard notched a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds to go along with four assists and two steals. Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;earned a double-double with 21 points and 11 assists paired with three steals. Ryan Hawkins poured in 19 points and added three steals. Northwest (6-0 overall) will return to action at 6 p.m. Wednesday against Illinois-Springfield in Bearcat Arena. NOTES: Northwest reached the 100-point mark for the&nbsp;12th&nbsp;time under head coach Ben McCollum ... Northwest has scored 92 or more points four times this season ... the Bearcats improved to 111-9 in home games since the start of the 2011-12 season ... Northwest has defeated William Jewell seven straight times and holds a 27-15 lead in the all-time series vs. the Cardinals ... Northwest has won 28 straight games in the month of November ... Ryan Welty was 2-of-2 from three-point range to improve his career mark to 196-of-383 (.512, which is the best among active NCAA Division II three-point field goal shooters.

No. 1 Bearcats rout William Jewell 102-59

VERMILLION, S.D.&nbsp;– Mizzou Women's Basketball (1-4, 0-0 SEC) fell to South Dakota, 72-64, in Vermillion, S.D., on Thursday night. Freshman forward&nbsp;Hayley Frank&nbsp;(Strafford, Mo.) led the team in scoring with 15 points, while senior guard&nbsp;Jordan Chavis&nbsp;(Lexington, N.C.) chipped in 11 points.&nbsp;TURNING POINT&nbsp;Mizzou kept the deficit to single digits for the majority of the game before South Dakota outscored the Tigers, 23-16 in the game’s final quarter. Mizzou had cut the lead to as little as seven with 8:33 left in the game, but the Coyotes were able to finish the game on a 21-12 run to seal the victory.&nbsp;TOP TIGERS•&nbsp;With 15 points, Frank scored in double figures for the third consecutive game. Frank shot 4-of-6 from the field, and added four rebounds in the contest.•&nbsp;Chavis scored 11 points, dished out two assists and drained three three-pointers in the game.•&nbsp;Freshman guard&nbsp;Aijha Blackwell&nbsp;(Berkeley, Mo.) scored in double figures for the second time in her career, scoring 10 points to go along with five rebounds. NOTES•&nbsp;Mizzou is now 1-2 all-time against South Dakota. This was Mizzou’s first-ever trip to Vermillion, S.D.•&nbsp;The Tigers shot 81.8 percent from the free throw line (9-of-11, marking the fourth time in five games Mizzou has shot 75 percent or better from the charity stripe.•&nbsp;Frank led Mizzou in scoring for the first time in her career, as her 15 points marked the third time in her career she has scored in double figures.•&nbsp;Over the last three games, Frank is averaging 14.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.•&nbsp;Redshirt senior&nbsp;Hannah Schuchts&nbsp;(Talahassee, Fla.) matched her career high in blocks with five blocks. She now has 93 career blocks, which ranks third among active SEC players.•&nbsp;Led by Schuchts’ five blocks, Mizzou set a season-high in team blocks with seven.•&nbsp;Blackwell scored in double figures for the second time in her career, as she finished with 10 points.•&nbsp;The Tiger freshman also matched her career high in rebounds with five and three-pointers with two. UP NEXT&nbsp;Mizzou returns home for its next contest, as the Tigers host SIU Edwardsville on Sunday, Nov. 24. Tipoff from Mizzou Arena is slated for 2 p.m. --- Mizzou Athletics ---

Missouri women lose fall at South Dakota for fourth straight loss

MARYVILLE,&nbsp;Missouri&nbsp;- The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team (3-2 overall) scored a 73-40 win over Nebraska Christian (0-9) on Thursday at Bearcat Arena.&nbsp;The Bearcats started the night on a hot streak as&nbsp;Jaelyn&nbsp;Haggard opened up the scoring with an open look three. She didn’t stop there as she drained the next two three pointers to give Northwest a quick 9-0 lead at 8:41 in the first quarter.&nbsp;That was just the beginning for the Bearcats as they left the Sentinels defense in awe as they shot a staggering 54.5% from three-point range in the first. Pairing that with a 50% field goal percentage, Northwest took an easy 25-12 lead in the first quarter.&nbsp;Paityn&nbsp;Rau in the second quarter started to feel her grove as she led all scorers with four points in the second. Rau showcased her ability to do it all in the game as she finished with a double-double by scoring 14 points, while grabbing 12 rebounds.&nbsp;However, the highlight of the second quarter was Erika Schlosser’s buzzer beater three to that grew the Bearcats's lead to 43-19 at halftime.&nbsp;Northwest continued to play to its strengths in the third, as they were fueled by offensive rebounds and quick passes to the outside for three. The third was the closest scoring differential than all the other quarters as the Bearcats outscored Nebraska Christian, 15-11. Regardless of the margin, Northwest continued to grow the margin as it headed into the fourth quarter with the game in hand.&nbsp;Similar to the other quarters, the Bearcats dominated their way to the +5-scoring margin.&nbsp;&nbsp;Zoie&nbsp;Hayward finished the contest by sinking four free throws to complete the Bearcat scoring and help the home team to a 73-40 victory.&nbsp;NOTES:&nbsp;Kendey&nbsp;Eaton led the Bearcats in total points as she scored 17 points … The Bearcats finished the game shooting 36.8% from the field, 33.3% from the three-point line and 100% from the free throw line (12-12)… Northwest enjoyed a 13-3 offensive rebounding advantage ... Northwest won the rebounding battle, 39-24.

Northwest women defeat Nebraska Christian 73-40

Conway, S.C&nbsp;–&nbsp;Mizzou&nbsp;Men's Basketball will compete in the eight-team 2020 Myrtle Beach Invitational in Conway, S.C. In addition to Mizzou, the event features former Big Eight and Big&nbsp;12 rival Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Utah State, Dayton, Penn, Loyola-Chicago and Charlotte. The third annual Myrtle Beach Invitational will take place Nov. 19, 20 and 22, 2020,&nbsp;at&nbsp;the HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University. The tournament features three guaranteed games with a winners’ bracket and consolation bracket. Owned and operated by ESPN, the 2020 Myrtle Beach Invitational will air on the ESPN Family of Networks. The complete bracket, including matchups, tip times and television designations, as well as ticket information, will be announced at a later date.&nbsp; Mizzou has never competed in the newly established Myrtle Beach Invite. The Tigers are 126-93 all-time against Nebraska, 2-0 vs. Dayton, 1-1 vs. Utah State and 1-2 vs. Loyola-Chicago. Mizzou has never faced Pittsburgh, Penn or Charlotte in program history. Mizzou is back in action Monday at its 2019 Thanksgiving tournament, the Hall of Fame Classic at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. Mizzou faces Butler in the opening game on Nov. 25. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU. The winner will face either Oklahoma or Stanford in the title game on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

Mizzou men to play in 2020 Myrtle Beach Basketball Invitational

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Dejan Vasiljevic had the situation he wanted -- game on the line and the ball in his hands. Vasiljevic had a career-high 25 points, including a pair of clinching foul shots with 1.2 seconds left, as Miami outlasted Missouri State to start the Charleston Classic on Thursday. The Hurricanes had built an 18-point lead midway through the second half, yet needed Vasiljevic's free throws after the Bears rallied back to cut their deficit to 72-70 on Tyrik Dixon's basket with 1.8 seconds to go. That's when Vasiljevic took the inbounds pass, got fouled and easily swished through his free throws to seal the game. "I played for a long time, had a lot of big moments and made shots," said Vasiljevic, a senior. "It's gives confidence." Miami is the lone two-time tournament champion and improved to 8-0 all-time at the eight-team event. They will face either Florida or St. Joseph's on Friday for a spot in Sunday's finals. Missouri State (2-3) will face the Florida-St. Joseph's loser here Friday. Vasiljevic helped Miami open an 18-point lead midway through the second half before Missouri State went on a 12-0 run to cut things to 64-56 with 7:31 to play. But Kameron McGusty made a field goal and Vasiljevic finished a three-point play to extend Miami's lead and the Bears could not recover. Vasiljevic surpassed his previous high of 22 points set last February in a win over Clemson. McGusty added 19 points and Chris Lykes 11 for the Hurricanes. Gaige Prim led Missouri State with 18 points, 14 in the second half. Tulio Da Silva had 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Vasiljevic had two of his four 3-pointers to start Miami's 22-13 run that closed the opening half. His first one put the Hurricanes ahead for good, 19-17, with 8:03 remaining and he followed with another long-range basket. McGusty had five points and Harlond Beverly four points in the stretch to send Miami into the break ahead 38-30. BIG PICTURE Missouri State: The Bears are in a difficult stretch they hope will lead to good things down the road. They fell to Xavier last Friday and after three games in Charleston will head to LSU. Miami: The Hurricanes sure didn't have the killer instinct in this one with Missouri State going on a 24-10 run in the last 10 minutes to nearly steal the game. That won't fly once ACC play hits. CLOSE LOSSES Missouri State's three defeats have come by a total of eight points -- and all came down to the wire. "We've just got a find a way" to change that, Bears coach Dana Ford said. WIN STREAK Miami coach Jim Larranaga didn't think there was any magic to his team playing in Charleston, where it won titles in 2009 and 2014. "The only game I care about in Charleston is the next one," he said. UP NEXT Missouri State will play either Florida or St. Joseph's on Friday Miami will play either Florida or St. Joseph's on Friday. --- Associated Press ---

Missouri State's rally comes up short in 74-70 loss to Miami

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574310637351.jpeg">ST. JOSEPH -&nbsp;The Missouri Western men's basketball team evened its record at 3-3 with a 101-34 rout of Nebraska Christian Wednesday night in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons actually trailed early in the game, but went on a 14-0 run early in the game and never let off. The team made 18 3-pointers, second most in program history and tied for the fifth most steals by any Griffon team with 16. MWSU led 45-19 at the half and outscored the Sentinels 56-15 in the second half. NOTABLES<ul><li>MWSU limited Nebraska Christian to just nine 3-point attempts with eight of them coming in the second half and three makes.</li><li>The Griffons were dominant on the glass, pulling down 46 rebounds to Nebraska Christian's 28.</li><li>Nebraska Christian was 14 of 50 from the field.</li><li>Missouri Western scored 29 points off 22 NCC turnovers and had 25 second chance points.</li><li>The Griffon bench out-scored NCC's 54-14.</li><li>All 12 Griffons who played scored at least four points with five in double-figures.</li><li>Tyrell Carroll&nbsp;scored a team-high 16 in 21 minutes with five assists.</li><li>Jonathan Mesmacque&nbsp;was 4 of 7 from 3-point range and scored 14 points.</li><li>Reese Glover&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sam Siganos&nbsp;both scored 12 points and&nbsp;Zach Anderson&nbsp;had 10 points and six rebounds.</li><li>Beau Baker&nbsp;turned in his second consecutive double-digit rebound game with 10. He also had a team-high six assists.</li></ul> UP NEXTMissouri Western plays its next six on the road, beginning with the Thanksgiving Classic in Grand Junction, Colorado, where the Griffons will face Colorado Mesa (Nov. 29) and Western Colorado (Nov. 30). --- MWSU Athletics ---

Griffons cruise past Nebraska Christian 101-34

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Strong defense and 21 points from Mark Smith gave Missouri the edge over Morehead State 70-52 on Wednesday night. Missouri (4-1) jumped out to a 14-4 lead and kept Morehead State scoreless for a five-minute stretch. The Tigers then went cold from the 3-point range, making just 2 of 14 shots beyond the arc in the first half. Missouri forward Reed Nikko -- who had scored just four points through the team's first four games -- made a layup and free throw, and Kobe Brown added four key points to help the Tigers finish the half on a 9-0 run to lead 36-29. Missouri kept its lead in the second half but let Morehead State (4-1) stay within comeback distance most of the game. Morehead State forced 17 turnovers, five committed by Missouri forward Jeremiah Tilmon. Mark Smith had three 3-pointers while Dru Smith added 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Jordan Walker scored 14 for the Eagles. Missouri saw good production from the bench. Forward Parker Braun snagged four rebounds, and forward Tray Jackson scored seven points. BIG PICTURE Morehead State: The Eagles outscored their opponents by double digits in three of their first four games but suffered their first loss on Wednesday. This week's tough two-game road stretch should prepare them for the Ohio Valley Conference schedule. Missouri: After a dominant showing against Wofford on Monday, the Tigers struggled in the first half against Morehead State. But the team showed it can still rely on its stingy defense to win games. UP NEXT Morehead State: The Eagles play at Butler on Friday. Missouri: The Tigers head to Kansas City for a Hall of Fame Classic game against Butler on Monday. --- Associated Press ---

Smith scores 21 to lead Missouri past Morehead State 70-52

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Missouri Western had six players earn All-MIAA honors Wednesday as the league announced its postseason honors. Ali Tauchen headlined the honors for the Griffs, receiving first team honors as a middle blocker. Tiana Butler was named second team libero. Sam Duncan (OH/RS, Allie Kerns (OH/RS, Danielle Moje (MB) and Lauren Murphy (S) received honorable mentions. FIRST TEAMAli Tauchen: The junior became a three-time All-MIAA selection, receiving first team honors for the first time in her career. Tauchen received honorable mention in 2018 after being named MIAA Freshman of the Year with second team honors in 2017. Tauchen's 3.48 kills per set were fourth-best in the MIAA this season. Her .306 hitting percentage ranked sixth in the conference. She was fourth in the MIAA with 0.95 blocks per set and 20th with 0.2 service aces per set. Tauchen was also second on the team with 269 digs, averaging 2.56 per set. SECOND TEAMTina Butler: Taking over as the team's libero in her senior season, Butler was named All-MIAA for the first time in her career. The Raleigh, North Carolina native's 6.03 digs per set ranked second in the MIAA. Butler had 633 total digs, 60 more than the MIAA's third-ranked total. She joined MWSU's 1,000-dig club and set an MWSU four-set record with 35 digs against Nebraska Kearney on Nov. 9. Five times this season, Butler recorded more than 30 digs, including a career-high 37 vs Emporia State on Sept. 26. Butler recorded a .959 receiving percentage. HONORABLE MENTIONSam Duncan: Duncan received All-MIAA honors for the first time in her Griffon career. The senior was 18th in the MIAA with 2.57 kills per set. Her 260 total kills were second on the team. She set a career-high with 17 kills at Missouri Southern on Nov. 1 and posted 15 double-digit kill matches this season. Allie Kerns: Kerns was one of two freshmen named honorable mention All-MIAA for the Griffons. She was third on the team with 243 kills for a 2.31 kill per set average. Her 66 total blocks were second on the team. Kerns posted a career-high 17 kills on Oct. 22 against Northwest. Danielle Moje: Another freshman All-MIAA honoree for the Griffons, Moje came on strong late in the season. Her .295 hitting percentage was eighth-best in the MIAA and her 0.7 blocks per set ranked 13th in the conference. Moje hit .500 with 10 kills in each of her last two matches and the freshman only hit under .200 one time (.182) in her final seven matches. Lauren Murphy: Murphy became a three-time All-MIAA setter after earning second team honors in 2018 and first team honors in 2017. Her 10.2 assist per set average was fifth-best in the MIAA this season. She ended her final regular season ranked second in the rally-scoring era at MWSU with 3,873 assists needing 58 more to pass Therese Hand. Murphy's 10.52 career assist per set average is best in the rally scoring era at MWSU and she holds MWSU's single match assist record with 70, twice. The Griffons get a third crack at Northwest Missouri in the opening, quarterfinal round of the MIAA Championships on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Hy-Vee Arena. --- MWSU Athletics ---

Six Grifffons earn All-MIAA volleyball honors; Tauchen named 1st Team

Northwest Missouri State University junior Hallie Sidney led the way with first-team accolades and six Bearcats garnered&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;volleyball honors for their performance during the 2019 season.&nbsp;Junior&nbsp;Maddy&nbsp;Ahrens&nbsp;(Appleton, Wisconsin) and junior Morgan Lewis (Kansas City, Missouri) each tallied second-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;honors, while Northwest's trio of sophomores Bethany Elkins (Belton, Missouri, Hannah&nbsp;Koechl&nbsp;(Innsbruck, Austria) and Rachel&nbsp;Sturdevant&nbsp;(Kansas City, Missouri) each registered honorable mention status.&nbsp;Sidney (Chesterfield, Missouri) becomes the&nbsp;22nd&nbsp;Bearcat volleyball player to earn first-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;honors. Sidney leads the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;in kills (420) and kills per set (4.08). Sidney was a five-time&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;hitter of the week selection in 2019. Sidney recorded 22 kills and a career-high 23 digs in a five-set win at Missouri Western (Oct. 22) - Northwest's first 20-20 match since&nbsp;Maddy&nbsp;Bruder&nbsp;had 26 kills and 20 digs in a Nov. 2, 2017 match vs. Missouri Southern. Sidney has reached double-figure kill totals in 24 of her 27 matches. Sidney has generated six 20-plus kill matches in 2019. Sidney has tallied a team-best 16 double-doubles. Sidney was a second-team all-MIAA selection in 2018.&nbsp;Ahrens notched second-team honors after leading the squad in assists (1,015) and service aces (24). Ahrens ranks No. 4 in the MIAA in assists per set (10.25). Ahrens has posted 10 double-doubles in 2019. Ahrens ranks No. 6 in Northwest history with 2,573 career assists. Ahrens has captured the MIAA Specialist of the Week award four times in 2019. She was a first-team all-MIAA selection in 2018.&nbsp;Lewis was named a second-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;recipient. Lewis ranks second on the team in blocks (81) and kills (304). Lewis possesses a .298 hitting percentage on the season. Lewis has posted 17 double-figure kill totals.&nbsp;Elkins earned honorable mention&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;honors. Elkins ranks No. 2 in the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;in blocks per set (1.02). Elkins has totaled a team-best 101 blocks on the season. Elkins ranks No. 4 in the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;in hitting percentage (.333). Elkins has 234 kills (2.36 kills/set) this season. Elkins has nine double-figure kill performances this season after posting two in 2018.&nbsp;Koechl&nbsp;tallied honorable mention&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;status. Koechl leads the team with 413 digs (3.86 digs/set). She is second on the squad in service aces (31). Koechl posted the eighth-best four-set dig total in school history with a career-high 30 digs in a four-set match vs. No. 4-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 5). Koechl matched her 30 digs in four sets again in a rematch with No. 2-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 1). Koechl has posted six 20-or more dig performances this season. Her 413 digs ranks as the fourth-best season performance by a Bearcat sophomore in program history.&nbsp;Sturdevant was named to the honorable mention all-MIAA squad. Sturdevant ranks No. 2 on the team in digs (312; 3.12 digs/set). Sturdevant secured a career-high 24 digs in a three-set match vs. Central Oklahoma (Oct. 11). Sturdevant has produced four double-doubles in 2019.&nbsp;The Bearcats (20-8 overall) will open up MIAA Tournament action at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hy-Vee Arena. Northwest is the No. 4 seed and will take on No. 5 seed Missouri Western in the quarterfinals.&nbsp;Northwest All-Time First-Team All-MIAA Picks1982 – Toni Cowen1983 – Mary Beth Bishop, Kelly Greenlee1984 – Mary Beth Bishop (MVP, Kelly Greenlee, Sherri Miller1985 – Kelly Greenlee, Sherri Miller1988 – Nancy Pfeifler1989 – Kathy Webb1998 – Jill Quast1999 – Jill Quast, Abby Sunderman2000 – Jill Quast (MVP)2012 – Tori Beckman2015 – Maddy Bruder2016 – Maddy Bruder2017 – Maddy Bruder2018 – Maddy Bruder (MVP, Maddy Ahrens, Sofia Schleppenbach2019 – Hallie Sidney 2019 All-MIAA AwardsCo-Players of the Year: Julianne Jackson, OH/RS - Nebraska Kearney &amp; Genna Berg - Washburn, OH, RSFreshman of the Year: Sydney Lierz, OH/RS - Central MissouriCoach of the Year: Rick Squiers - Nebraska Kearney&nbsp;First-TeamAudrey Fisher, OH/RS - Central MissouriSydney Lierz, OH/RS - Central MissouriAlly Offerdahl, S - Central MissouriDominique Lipari, L - Central OklahomaAli Tauchen, MB - Missouri WesternJulianne Jackson, OH/RS - Nebraska KearneyAnna Squiers, MB - Nebraska KearneyMaddie Squiers, S - Nebraska KearneyMK Wolfe, OH/RS - Nebraska KearneyHallie Sidney, OH/RS - Northwest MissouriGenna Berg, OH/RS - WashburnAllison Maxwell, MB - WashburnFaith Rottinghaus, L - WashburnAllison Sadler, S - Washburn&nbsp;Second-TeamAmanda Desch, S - Central OklahomaCourtney Lane, OH/RS - Central OklahomaYuchen Du, OH/RS - Emporia StateDelaney Humm, OH/RS - Fort Hays StateJanelle Brehm, OH/RS - Missouri SouthernMorgan Nash, OH/RS - Missouri SouthernTiana Butler, L - Missouri WesternMichaela Bartels, MB - Nebraska KearneyLindsey Nottlemann, L - Nebraska KearneyMaddy Ahrens, S - Northwest MissouriMorgan Lewis, MB - Northwest MissouriMorgan Henning, MB - Pittsburg StateKelsey Gordon, MB - WashburnErica Montgomery, OH/RS - Washburn&nbsp;Honorable Mentions&nbsp;Central Missouri:&nbsp;Aubree Bell - OH/RS, Hannah Engelken - MB, Rylee Neigenfind - OH/RS, Abby Skrastins - L, Hannah VanBuskirk - OH/RS&nbsp;Central Oklahoma:&nbsp;Lauren Jenkins - OH/RS, Malia Kaaiohelo - MB&nbsp;Emporia State:&nbsp;Aliyah Bernard - MB, Emma Dixon - S&nbsp;Fort Hays State:&nbsp;Tatum Bartels - MB, Isabelle Reynolds - OH/RS&nbsp;Missouri Southern:&nbsp;Alicia Pickett - MB&nbsp;Missouri Western:&nbsp;Sam Duncan - OH/RS, Danielle Moje - MB, Lauren Murphy - S, Allie Kerns - OH/RS&nbsp;Newman:&nbsp;Trinity Conley - OH/RS&nbsp;Northwest Missouri:&nbsp;Bethany Elkins - MB, Hannah Koechl - L, Rachel Sturdevant - OH/RS&nbsp;Pittsburg State:&nbsp;Marissa Bates - L, Erika Ivkov - OH/RS, Emily Regier - MB&nbsp;Washburn:&nbsp;Taylor Antonwich - OH/RS --- Northwest Athletics ---

Northwest volleyball has six players earn All-MIAA honors; Sidney named 1st Team

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574222223035.jpeg">KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A career night that included a game-winning floater in overtime helped Missouri Western point guard Tyrell Carroll earn the MIAA Men's Basketball Player of the Week. The sophomore from Omaha scored a career-high 29 points as the Griffons outlasted Missouri S&amp;T 66-64 in overtime. Carroll hit a three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation that looked like it would be the game-winner, but S&amp;T hit a buzzer beater to send the game to overtime.&nbsp; Tied at 64 with one second left, Carroll dropped in a floater from the lane to give MWSU a victory in their home opener. Carroll had a team-high four assists and three steals to go with four rebounds. He was 11 for 19 from the field and 6 of 7 from the free throw line. Carroll scored 10 points during a 20-10 Griffon run late in the second half that gave MWSU a six-point lead with 3:37 left. Missouri Western (2-3) hosts Nebraska Christian Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the MWSU Fieldhouse before playing six-straight on the road. --- MWSU Athletics ---

Griffons' Carroll named MIAA men's basketball Player of the Week

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Udoka Azubuike pounded home 21 points, Devon Dotson added 19 and fourth-ranked Kansas weathered East Tennessee State's second-half charge to escape with a 75-63 victory Tuesday night. Marcus Garrett added 13 points for the Jayhawks (3-1, who led by as many as 18 early in the game before the Pirates (3-1) closed within 61-56 with just over 5 minutes to go. Azubuike's assortment of dunks, a couple of poised plays by Dotson and Garrett, and three misfires from beyond the arc by the Pirates' Patrick Good allowed the Jayhawks to ease away. Bo Hodges had 22 points and Lucas N'Guessan scored 11 for the Pirates, who were off to their best start since the 1998-99 season. Daivien Williamson came off the bench to add 10. The game looked like it would be The Dotson Show from the opening tip, when the sprightly guard coasted in for a layup. He proceeded to hit the Jayhawks' only 3 of the first half, threw an alley-oop to Silvio de Sousa for an easy dunk and knocked down a pair of free throws during a big early run. The Jayhawks pushed lead to 31-13 before Dotson checked out for the first time. They never looked quite as good again. N'Guessan, who had played in Allen Fieldhouse with Oklahoma State, began a second-half charge for the Pirates that trimmed their deficit to 45-36 by the first media timeout. The Pirates began to take advantage of the turnover problems that plagued Kansas in its season-opening loss to Duke, too. Ochai Agbaji was stripped twice in a span of about a minute, and Garrett and Tristan Enaruna had their pockets picked on back-to-back trips. Seven times in a span of 12 possessions the Jayhawks turned the ball over. East Tennessee State's confidence rose as shots started to fall. Tray Boyd III knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, then Good added two of his own, getting the Pirates within 61-56 with 5:52 left. Azubuike kept hammering home answers. His one-handed jam over N'Guessan raised the crowd to its feet, and the 7-footer's two-handed dunk drew a foul and left the rim rattling as the teams retreated to their benches for a timeout. It was still 61-56 when Garrett was fouled and made both free throws. Then, after Williamson turned the ball over for East Tennessee State, de Sousa threw down an alley-oop dunk in transition that helped to punctuate a win for the Jayhawks. BIG PICTURE East Tennessee State showed why it's a good bet to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Pirates spotted the Jayhawks a big early lead, which is almost always a losing scenario in the Phog, yet relied on a senior-laden group that has won plenty of games to keep from getting blown out. Kansas had chances to put the game away early. But the offense languished when Dotson went to the bench, and even the sure-handed guard had trouble with turnovers. Those are issues that will accompany the Jayhawks to the Maui Invitational, where they could face Michigan State down the road. UP NEXT East Tennessee State plays Delaware State on Saturday. Kansas heads to the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii. --- Associated Press ---

No. 4 Kansas defeats East Tennessee State 75-63

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574221897281.jpeg">KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Western's Chris Wilson helped the women's basketball team to a 2-0 start in the MWSU Fieldhouse last week and was named MIAA Player of the Week after wins over Southwest Baptist and College of Saint Mary (Neb.).&nbsp;The senior from St. Louis averaged 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game over the two home victories. She dished out six assists, had six steals and shot 68%. Against SBU, Wilson completed her third consecutive double-double of the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds to go with five assists and three steals. Against Saint Mary, Wilson was held under 10 rebounds for the first time this season, but still pulled down eight boards with 19 points and three steals on 9 of 9 shooting.&nbsp;Four games into her senior season at MWSU, Wilson is second in the MIAA in scoring (20.5); third in rebounding (11.3); third in field goal percentage (.593); 10th in steals (2.3) and 15th in blocks (0.8). --- MWSU Athletics ---

MWSU's Wilson earns weekly MIAA women's basketball honor

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Xavier Sneed had 21 points and six rebounds, Cartier Diarra had seven points and eight assists as Kansas State escaped a scare from Arkansas-Pine Bluff 62-51 on Tuesday night. Marquell Carter led the Golden Lions (0-4) with 20 points and nine rebounds as Arkansas-Pine Bluff trailed by just six points with nine minutes left in the game. This was Arkansas-Pine Bluff's closest margin of defeat this season. Makol Mawien finished with 10 points and Antonio Gordon provided nine as Kansas State ended with 24 points in the paint and 10 offensive rebounds. Neither team took care of the ball very well as Kansas State had 16 turnovers compared to Arkansas-Pine Bluff's 20. A zone defense by the Golden Lions proved to be troublesome and the Wildcats posted the fewest point total in a home game this season. Kansas State was able to make a season high eight 3-pointers and held the Golden Lions to just three. Both teams had a 12-0 run in the first half, and they were squared at 27 after 20 minutes. Kansas State has yet to be leading at the half in any game this season. INJURY WATCH Montavious Murphy didn't play for the Wildcats due to an undisclosed injury he sustained against Monmouth last week. He averages five points and five rebounds this season. BIG PICTURE Arkansas-Pine Bluff had too many turnovers to hang with the Wildcats but showed promise after a poor start to the season. Kansas State's first half woes continued, but they were able to pull away in the second half. UP NEXT Arkansas-Pine Bluff plays its third game in six days Thursday when they face Pittsburgh. Kansas State will take part in the Fort Myers Tipoff in Florida when they face Pittsburgh on Monday. --- Associated Press ---

Sneed leads Kansas State past Arkansas-Pine Bluff 62-51

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The All-MIAA football postseason awards were released Tuesday, featuring 16 members of the Missouri Western football team. Hayden Eatinger, Trey Vaval and Sam Webb were all first team selections for Missouri Western. Shawn Rouse and Anthony Williams picked up second team honors. Tyler Baska, Shamar Griffith, Jacob Olson and Wyatt Steigerwald were named to the third team. Honorable mentions included Evan Chohon, Isaiah Colbert, Arnold Crayton, Cam Grandy, Cameron Ravenell, Markel Smith and DJ Stirgus. Every position group except wide receiver was represented for Missouri Western. Four of MWSU's starting offensive linemen received honors for a second consecutive year. Two running backs picked up honors as well. Both starting linebackers, both starting corners and three defensive linemen were named All-MIAA for Missouri Western. Hayden Eatinger (OL): Eatinger became a four-time All-MIAA selection with his second consecutive first team honor. The Griffon center has not missed a start in four seasons, earning honorable mention All-MIAA as a redshirt freshman guard in 2016; second team All-MIAA as a guard in 2017; and first team as a center each of the past two seasons. Trey Vaval (Returner): The true freshman broke the MIAA single season kick return average record and finished third in DII with a 35.2-yard per kick return average. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and led the nation with 1,110 combined kick return yards. He also led the MIAA and finished fifth in DII, averaging 17.7 yards per punt return. Sam Webb (DB): Webb served as half of one of the most formidable corner duos in the MIAA and jumped from an honorable mention last year to first team honors as a junior. His 14 passes defended were sixth most in the MIAA. He also had 28 tackles, one forced fumble, one recovered fumble and a blocked kick. The junior was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Week after two interceptions and a forced/recovered fumble at Washburn. Shawn Rouse (OL): The senior left tackle picked up his third All-MIAA honor and highest yet. Rouse started every game for the Griffons since 2016, 45 consecutive. A third team selection last year and an honorable mention in 2016, Rouse was also recently named Google Cloud Academic All-District for a second consecutive season. Anthony Williams (LB): The senior linebacker received second team honors after being named honorable mention All-MIAA one season ago. Despite missing his final regular season game with an injury, Williams finished second on the team with 75 total tackles. He had 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four pass break ups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. Tyler Baska (DL): The junior earned his second consecutive third team All-MIAA honor with 38 total tackles. He recorded six tackles for loss; three sacks and four quarterback hurries. Baska also blocked a kick. Shamar Griffith (All-Purpose): An honorable mention last season as a back and an honorable mention in 2017 as a returner, Griffith earned third team all-purpose back honors this season. The versatile junior totaled 1,085 all-purpose yards with 716 on the ground, 186 receiving and 183 as a kick returner. Jacob Olson (OL): The St. Joseph native and senior guard picked up third team honors after being named honorable mention last year. Olson started every game each of the last two seasons.Wyatt Steigerwald (QB): Despite missing the final game with an injury, Steigerwald finished third in the MIAA in passing efficiency (158.3, passing touchdowns (26) and yards per completion (14.61). His 17.6 points responsible for per game was also third best in the MIAA and 17th best in DII. His 26 touchdown passes were 14th most in the nation. In his senior season, Steigerwald completed 58% of his passes for 2,206 yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions. Evan Chohon (LB): The junior linebacker finished sixth in the MIAA with 86 total tackles, including 46 solo stops. Chohon had five tackles for loss and broke up two passes. The honorable mention All-MIAA was his first MIAA postseason honor. Isaiah Colbert (OL): The senior right tackle earned his second consecutive honorable mention. Colbert started all 11 games this year after starting all 12 last season, forming a quartet of linemen with Eatinger, Olson and Rouse that did not miss a start over the past two seasons. Arnold Crayton (DL): A disruptive presence off the edge as a sophomore, Crayton picked up his first postseason honor as an honorable mention. The Houston, Texas native was second in the MIAA with 10 solo tackles for loss and tied for third in the conference with 10 total. His three blocked kicks were sixth most in DII. Crayton led the Griffons with four sacks and had seven hurries, two break ups and a fumble recovery. Cam Grandy (TE): The sophomore tight end picked up his first MIAA postseason honor after leading a quartet of productive Griffon tight ends. Grandy led the team with five touchdown catches on 19 total receptions for 250 yards. Cameron Ravenell (DL): In his redshirt freshman season, Ravenell formed a dangerous pass rushing duo with Crayton. The Santa Clarita, California native was third on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss. He had two sacks and six hurries. Ravenell also forced two fumbles, recovered one and blocked a kick. Markel Smith (RB): Smith's return to the MIAA as a graduate transfer saw the running back lead the conference with 13 rushing touchdowns. He finished third with 922 rushing yards and his 6.8-yard per carry average was most among MIAA rushers with at least 130 carries. DJ Stirgus (DB): In his sophomore season, Stirgus was named honorable mention All-MIAA with 11 passes defended. The Arkansas native broke up 10 passes, recorded an interception and had 32 total tackles. Missouri Western will make its second consecutive postseason appearance on Dec. 7 when the Griffons take on Henderson State in the Agent Barry Live United Bowl. 2019 All-MIAA Football Awards Offensive Player of the Year - Brook Bolles, QB - Central MissouriDefensive Player of the Year - Spencer Phillips, DL - Northwest MissouriSpecial Teams Player of the Year - Dante Brown, K - Fort Hays StateFreshman of the Year - TJ Davis, All-Purpose/QB - Nebraska Kearney&nbsp;Coach of the Year - Jim Svoboda - Central Missouri First-TeamQuarterback - Brook Bolles - Central MissouriRunning Back - Hosea Franklin - LincolnWide Receiver - Shae Wyatt - Central MissouriWide Receiver - Lorenzo West - Pittsburg StateTight End - Zach Davidson - Central MissouriAll-Purpose Back - Harley Hazlett - Fort Hays StateOffensive Line - Jake Heckler - Central MissouriOffensive Line - Tyler Stilwell - Central OklahomaOffensive Line - Austin Unterreiner - Emporia StateOffensive Line - Hayden Eatinger - Missouri WesternOffensive Line - Tanner Owen - Northwest MissouriOffensive Line - Kyle Hinton - WashburnDefensive Line - Ubong Udom - Central MissouriDefensive Line - Hinwa Allieu - Nebraska KearneyDefensive Line - Spencer Phillips - Northwest MissouriDefensive Line - Simanu'a Thomas - Pittsburg StateLinebacker - Kolesen Crane - Central MissouriLinebacker - Jace McDown - Emporia StateLinebacker - Sal Silvio - Nebraska KearneyDefensive Back - O'Shay Harris - Central OklahomaDefensive Back - Lawson Holbert - Emporia StateDefensive Back - Sam Webb - Missouri WesternDefensive Back - Blake Bayer - Northwest MissouriDefensive Back - KiAnte Hardin - Pittsburg StateKicker - Dante Brown - Fort Hays StatePunter - Zach Davidson - Central MissouriKick/Punter Returner - Trey Vaval - Missouri Western Second-TeamQuarterback - Chance Fuller - Fort Hays StateQuarterback - Braden Wright - Northwest MissouriRunning Back - Justin Rankin - Northwest MissouriWide Receiver - James Letcher, Jr. - WashburnWide Receiver - Imoni Donadelle - Northwest MissouriTight End - Marqus Andrews - Northwest MissouriAll-Purpose Back - TJ Davis - Nebraska KearneyOffensive Line - Corey Hoelck - Nebraska KearneyOffensive Line - Ted Hessing - Fort Hays StateOffensive Line - Shawn Rouse - Missouri WesternOffensive Line - Josh Stoltenberg - Nebraska KearneyOffensive Line - Ben Sinclair - Pittsburg StateDefensive Line - Javaris Sanders - Fort Hays StateDefensive Line - Parker Bass - Emporia StateDefensive Line - Jordan Ingraham - Nebraska KearneyDefensive Line - Zach Howard - Northwest MissouriDefensive Line - Sam Roberts - Northwest MissouriLinebacker - Richard Jordan - Missouri SouthernLinebacker - Anthony Williams - Missouri WesternLinebacker - Jackson Barnes - Northwest MissouriDefensive Back- Codie Bell - Central MissouriDefensive Back- Gary Woods II - Emporia StateDefensive Back - Tanner Hoekmann - Fort Hays StateDefensive Back - Josh Wright - WashburnKicker - Parker Sampson - Northwest MissouriPunter - Lane Spiker - WashburnKick/Punt Returner - Lorenzo West - Pittsburg State Third-TeamQuarterback - Wyatt Steigerwald - Missouri WesternRunning Back - Devante Turner - Central MissouriRunning Back - David Goodwin - Nebraska KearneyWide Receiver - Layne Bieberle - Fort Hays StateWide Receiver - Dustin Basks - Central OklahomaWide Receiver - Sedarius Young - Nebraska KearneyTight End - Daunte McGee - Central OklahomaAll-Purpose Back - Shamar Griffith - Missouri WesternOffensive Line - Dan Sunderman - Central MissouriOffensive Line - Amari Angram-Boldin - Fort Hays StateOffensive Line - Nick George - Central OklahomaOffensive Line - Steve Williams - Emporia StateOffensive Line -&nbsp;Jacob Olson - Missouri WesternOffensive Line -&nbsp;Ryan Spelhaug - Northwest MissouriOffensive Line - Cole Baughman - Pittsburg StateDefensive Line - Michael Rios - Central OklahomaDefensive Line - Dre'Quan Brown - Central OklahomaDefensive Line - Marek Thompson - Emporia StateDefensive Line - Zeke Wall - Pittsburg StateDefensive Line - Tyler Baska - Missouri WesternDefensive Line - Cole Morris - Pittsburg StateLinebacker - Bryan Burns - Central OklahomaLinebacker - Sam Phillips - Northwest MissouriLinebacker - Chase Johnston - Pittsburg StateDefensive Back - Jordan Starks - Fort Hays StateDefensive Back - Trey Washington - Northwest MissouriDefensive Back - Morgan Selemaea - Pittsburg StateDefensive Back - KJ Turner - WashburnKicker - Jared Vincent - Pittsburg StatePunter - Todd Morrow - Pittsburg StateKick/Punt Returner - Devante Turner - Central MissouriKick/Punt Returner - James Letcher, Jr. - Washburn Honorable MentionCentral Missouri - Koby Wilkerson - RB, Cameron Saunders - WR, Dominick Puni - OL, Jacob Wiggins - DL, John Embrey - LB, Deven Smith - LB Central Oklahoma - Chandler Garrett - QB, TJ Roberts - RB, Seth Carmack - OL, Jakarri Hunt - DB, Kolby Underwood - DB, Alex Quevedo - K,&nbsp; Emporia State - Carlos Grace - RB, Estevan Arana - OL, Tyler Banta - OL, - DL, Gee Stanley - LB, Dawson Hammes - LB, Jaedon Pool - DB, Kyle Rinck - DB Fort Hays State - Charles Tigner - RB, Manny Ramsey - WR, Matt Wendelberger - TE, Sheldon Schmidt - DL, Kolt Trachsel - LB, Hayden Kreutzer - DB Lincoln - Cyril Spells - OL, Elex Harris - TE, Jajuan Chambers - DL, JaQuan Mason - DL, Michael Smith - DL, Cody Alexander - DB,&nbsp; Missouri Southern - Jacob Park - QB, Brian Boyd - WR, Ben Phillips - WR, Keandre Bledsoe - TE, Charles West - APB, Colton Winder - LB Missouri Western - Markel Smith - RB, Cam Grandy - TE, Isaiah Colbert - OL, Arnold Crayton - DL, Cameron Ravenell - DL, Evan Chohon - LB, DJ Stirgus - DB, Nebraska Kearney - Dayton Sealey - RB, Darrius Webb - RB, Kolin Kenton - OL, Kooper Reece - OL, Zach Sullivan - LB, LaRoy James - DB Northeastern State - Kevin Jackson - RB, Caleb Hash - OL, Jason Staggs - OL, Ukoh Essang - DL, Lane Yoder - LB, Ty Nichols - DB, Northwest Missouri - Isaiah Strayhorn - RB, Gabe Bautz - OL, Mike Ehlke - DL, Andy Hessler - LB, Jacob Gassman - DB, Chama Pierre - DB&nbsp; Pittsburg State - Tyler Adkins - RB, Brenner Clemons - WR, Jackson Krull - TE, Ryan Dodd - OL, Anders Vance - OL, Kaden Roy - LB Washburn - Mitch Schurig - QB, Zach Willis - RB, Colin Wilson - WR,&nbsp;Marcus Meier - TE, Grant Bruner - LB, Marquise Manning - DB --- MWSU Athletics ---

16 Griffons earn All-MIAA football honors

Northwest Missouri State defensive lineman Spencer Phillips has been named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and the Bearcat football team had 20 players named to the all-MIAA squads released today.&nbsp;Phillips (Tabor, Iowa) led the MIAA in tackles-for-loss (15.0) and in quarterback sacks (8.0). Phillips registered 45 tackles, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbled and posted two safeties for the MIAA's top-ranked defense. Phillips is the 10th Bearcat since 2000 to be named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.&nbsp;Northwest's MIAA Defensive Players of the Year Since 2000Spencer Phillips, DL – 2019Collin Blevins, DL – 2015Matt Longacre, DL – 2014Matt Longacre, DL – 2013Ryan Jones, DB – 2010Myles Burnsides, DB – 2008Jared Erspamer, LB – 2007Dave Tollefson, DL – 2005Adam Long, LB – 2004Brian Williams, LB – 2000&nbsp;Joining Phillips on the all-MIAA first team were senior offensive lineman Tanner Owen (Kearney, Missouri) and junior defensive back Blake Bayer (Albia, Iowa).&nbsp;Northwest collected eight second-team all-MIAA picks. The second-team selections went to senior tight end Marqus Andrews (Blue Springs, Missouri, junior linebacker Jackson Barnes (Kansas City, Missouri, junior wide receiver Imoni Donadelle (Youngstown, Ohio, sophomore defensive lineman Zach Howard (Bolivar, Missouri, senior running back Justin Rankin (Oberlin, Ohio, junior defensive lineman Sam Roberts (Waynesville, Missouri, junior kicker Parker Sampson (Kansas City, Missouri) and sophomore quarterback Braden Wright (Elkhorn, Nebraska).&nbsp;Northwest added three all-MIAA third-team honorees in sophomore linebacker Sam Phillips (Tabor, Iowa, senior offensive lineman Ryan Spelhaug (Bettendorf, Iowa) and sophomore defensive back Trey Washington (Grimes, Iowa).&nbsp;The Bearcats notched six honorable mention all-MIAA awards as well. The honorable mention picks went to junior offensive lineman Gabe Bautz (Waukesha, Wisconsin, senior defensive lineman Mike Ehlke (Little Chute, Wisconsin, senior defensive back Jacob Gassman (Kearney, Missouri, senior linebacker Andy Hessler (Hartland, Wisconsin, senior defensive back Chama Pierre (Lake Worth, Florida) and senior running back Isaiah Strayhorn (Chula Vista, California).&nbsp;FIRST TEAM – BEARCAT BIOSBlake Bayer – led the team in tackles (68) … second on the team with 11 passes defensed and 10 pass breakups … registered eight tackles-for-loss … had a season-high 11 tackles and four&nbsp;TFLs&nbsp;at Emporia State (Oct. 5) … notched his first collegiate interception against Pittsburg State (Oct. 12) at Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;Tanner Owen – second straight season he has earned first-team all-MIAA honors after posting honorable mention status as a redshirt freshman in 2017 … has started all 36 games of his collegiate career … part of an offensive line that has allowed the fewest sacks (10) in the MIAA … the Bearcat offense ranks No. 1 in the nation in red zone offense that scored 33-of-34 times (.971).&nbsp;Spencer Phillips – MIAA Defensive Player of the Year … started all 11 games on the defensive line a year after earning honorable mention all-MIAA status … MIAA leader in tackles-for-loss (15) … tied for the MIAA lead in sacks (8.0) … posted a season-high 10 tackles and three TFLs in a 45-23 win over Central Missouri (Nov. 16).&nbsp;SECOND TEAM – BEARCAT BIOSMarqus Andrews – ranks second on the team in touchdown receptions (6) … ranks third on the squad in receptions (22) and receiving yards (317) … named the MIAA offensive player of the week against Pittsburg State (Oct. 12) when he had three catches for 61 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Gorillas as Arrowhead Stadium … has played and started in 10 games this season … earned honorable mention all-MIAA honors in 2018 … two-time academic all-district pick … Academic All-America selection in 2018.&nbsp;Jackson Barnes – ranks second on the squad with 58 total tackles and three interceptions … has made 29 solo stops … credited with 7.5 TFLs … scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 29-yard interception return vs. Central Missouri (Nov. 16) … notched his first sack in Northwest's win against Pittsburg State (Oct. 12) at Arrowhead Stadium … has played and started in 10 games.&nbsp;Imoni Donadelle – team leader in receptions (34, receiving yards (613, receiving touchdowns (8) … averaged 95.3 all-purpose yards per game … scored touchdowns via receiving (8, rushing (1) and kick return (1) … caught a season-high six passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns in a win at Missouri Southern (Sept. 21) … set the Northwest single-game record for kick return yards with 174 vs. Central Oklahoma (Sept. 28) … returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown vs. the Bronchos … has started in all 11 games … has caught at least one pass in all 11 games.&nbsp;Zach Howard – tied for the MIAA lead in quarterback sacks (8.0) … tied for third on the team with 49 tackles … has 9.5 TFLs … had a season-high eight tackles against Missouri Western (Sept. 5) … the Bearcat defense has allowed a league-best 84.4 rushing yards per game … has started all 11 games for the No. 1-ranked defense in the MIAA.&nbsp;Justin Rankin – MIAA leader in total touchdowns scored (15) … leads Bearcats in all-purpose yards per game (112.1) … ranks fourth in the MIAA in rushing yards per game (82.7) … ranks second on the team in receptions (29) and receiving yards (323) … has three 100-plus rushing games … rushed for 130 yards vs. Missouri Western (Sept. 5) … rushed for 150 yards and a score vs. Missouri Southern (Sept. 21) … rushed for a season-high 211 yards and four touchdowns vs. Northeastern State (Nov. 2) … started all 11 games at running back.&nbsp;Sam Roberts – ranks second in the MIAA in tackles-for-loss per game (1.0) … tied for fifth in the nation with three blocked kicks … has 37 tackles (22 solos) and five quarterback sacks … leads the team with 11 quarterback hurries … had a season-high nine tackles at Nebraska-Kearney (Oct. 19) … has played and started in nine games … was a first-team all-MIAA pick in 2018.&nbsp;Parker Sampson – leads Northwest in points scored (104) … ranks No. 14 in the nation in scoring … 13-of-17 in field goals, including 12-of-13 from 49 yards or less … his 53-yard field goal against Emporia State ranked as the second-longest field goal made in school history … connected on all four field goal attempts vs. the Hornets and was named the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week … booted a game-winning 38-yard field goal to defeat Fort Hays State (Nov. 9) in double overtime.&nbsp;Braden Wright – second straight season earning second-team all-MIAA honors … ranks No. 14 in the nation in points responsible for (192) … has passed for 2,160 yards on 145-of-275 passing with 23 TDs and only seven interceptions … ranks No. 2 on the team in rushing with 612 yards and nine touchdowns … two-time MIAA player of the week … rushed for a career-high 172 yards against Pittsburg State (Oct. 12) at Arrowhead Stadium … passed for a career-high 305 yards and four touchdowns (all in the first half) against Central Oklahoma (Sept. 28) … passed for 279 yards and three TDs, while rushing for 96 yards and a score in Northwest's 36-33 double-overtime victory at Fort Hays State (Nov. 9) … has started all 24 games over the past two seasons.&nbsp;THIRD TEAM – BEARCAT BIOSSam Phillips – tied for the third on the team in total tackles (49) … second on the squad with 29 solo stops … two-time MIAA defensive player of the week … returned a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown and an interception 29 yards for a touchdown in the season-opening win over Missouri Western (Sept. 5) … posted a season-high 11 tackles in a victory over Pittsburg State (Oct. 12) … started all 11 games at linebacker.&nbsp;Ryan Spelhaug – second straight year being named to the third-team all-MIAA squad … has started 24 consecutive games on the offensive line … two-time academic all-district pick … Academic All-American in 2018.&nbsp;Trey Washington – leads the MIAA in passes defensed (19) … ranks second in the league in interceptions (6) … made four starts and has played in 10 games … has 24 total tackles, 2.5 TFLs and one quarterback sack … named the MIAA defensive player of the week after picking off two passes and returning a fumble for a touchdown in Northwest's 45-23 win over Central Missouri (Nov. 16).&nbsp;HONORABLE MENTION – BEARCAT BIOSGabe Bautz – has started all 11 games at left guard … part of an offensive line that has allowed only 10 quarterback sacks all season … Bearcats rank No. 6 in the nation in scoring per game (46.6 ppg) … Northwest has rushed for 30 touchdowns and passed for 28 scores in 2019.&nbsp;Mike Ehlke – two straight years of earning honorable mention all-MIAA status … started all 11 games at defensive end … has 38 tackles (23 solos, 5.0 TFLs, two sacks and two fumble recoveries … he had an 18-yard scoop and score against Northeastern State (Nov. 2).&nbsp;Jacob Gassman – has battled injuries throughout his career, including this season where he has started and played in only seven games … has 31 tackles (26 solos) and 3.5 TFLs … posted a season-high eight tackles in a 45-23 win over Central Missouri (Nov. 16) … returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown vs. Northeastern State (Nov. 2).&nbsp;Andy Hessler – started all 11 games at linebacker … ranks sixth on the team with 42 total tackles (29 solos) … credited with 5.5 TFLs and three quarterback sacks.&nbsp;Chama Pierre – played in 10 games and made nine starts … credited with 19 tackles … tied a season-high with six tackles vs. Fort Hays State (Nov. 9) before suffering a season-ending injury in the second half.&nbsp;Isaiah Strayhorn – named to the honorable mention all-MIAA squad for the second straight season … carried the ball 79 times for 430 yards and three touchdowns … rushed for a season-high 128 yards and a touchdown vs. Northeastern State (Nov. 2). --- Northwest Athletics ---

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