MARYVILLE - It took the Missouri Western women's basketball team a little while to get going Saturday against Northwest Missouri State.

But once they got going, the Griffons were tough to stop.

A three-pointer by junior Jordan Cunningham with 6:59 left in the second quarter gave Missouri Western its first lead at 14-12, and the Griffons (13-4, 7-2 MIAA) never looked back in a 55-37 win over Northwest at Bearcat Arena in Maryville Saturday.

The Griffons outscored Northwest 18-3 in the second period after trailing 10-7 at the end of the first.

"I thought our defense is why the middle (of the game) was so good," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "We sped the game up, we got more possessions, we used our length and athleticism to turn them over and make them take a quicker shot."

Missouri Western picked up where they left off after halftime, scoring 26 third quarter points and shooting 62.5 percent from the field during that time.

The Griffons led by as many as 26 before Northwest (7-7, 2-6 MIAA) narrowed the gap a bit, outscoring Missouri Western 12-4 in the final quarter.

Still, the Griffons held Northwest to 28.6 percent shooting from the field and Missouri Western scored 22 points off of 17 Bearcat turnovers.

Junior Brionna Budgets led Missouri Western in scoring with a game-high 15 points. Junior Connie Clarke logged her eighth double-double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Junior Jordan Cunningham and freshman Kassandra Caron each scored 10 points off the bench.

"I thought both Jordan and Kassie were huge for us," Whitaker said, "at a time when we were struggling. It was a tight ball game and we weren't making shots (early on) and weren't getting to multiple sides, and both of them made huge plays and had shots go down."

Sophomore Molly Hartnett led Northwest eight points. Sophomore Caely Kesten scored seven.

Saturday's win is now the sixth straight for the Griffons, as they claimed their first win in Bearcat Arena since January 2020. The 37 points also ties the fewest Missouri Western has ever allowed in an MIAA game.

The Griffons have real momentum as they head out on the road to face Newman Thursday and Central Oklahoma Saturday.

"We're getting close to the halfway point (of the season)," Whitaker said. "Every game is important in this league. It's so important to stay focused on that. I think that teams that get their eye off of the next opponent can let things slip up. Our entire focus will be on Newman, then UCO and just take it game-by-game."

Northwest men end first half on a 23-2 run, Bearcats roll to victory

Missouri Western came to play in the first 10.5 minutes of Saturday's game, trading baskets with No. 5 Northwest and even leading 16-14 with 9:24 left in the first half.

The Bearcats (14-1, 7-1 MIAA) then found their groove and never let up, ending the first half on a 23-2 run. Northwest led 37-18 at halftime and cruised to an 87-64 win at Bearcat Arena Saturday.

Missouri Western committed 12 first half turnovers, and the Bearcats hit six of their first nine shots from downtown.

"I thought once we were able to get clicking a bit more on offense, I thought that helped a ton," Northwest coach Ben McCollum said. "I thought we got out in front of (Missouri Western's) angles quite a bit. I thought we were able to defend them pretty good."

Missouri Western played much better offensively in the second half, shooting 59.1 percent in the final 20 minutes and connecting on 15-of-20 free throws during that time as well.

The Griffons committed only three turnovers in the second half after giving up 12 in the first 20 minutes.

"So when we just hand them those possessions, it's hard for me to evaluate where our offense is," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "We turned the ball over three times in the second half and scored 46 points. I'll continue to say it - we have to value possessions and take care of the basketball."

The Bearcats kept up their pace on offense down the stretch, shooting 64.3 percent in the second half and 63.3 percent on the day. Northwest also knocked down 14-of-26 shots from long range.

Junior Wes Dreamer led five Bearcats in double figures with 17 points. Dreamer alone was 5-of-8 from three. Senior Diego Bernard had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Sophomore Mitch Mascari scored 13 points, junior Luke Waters scored 12 while freshman Bennett Stirtz had 11.

Junior JaRon Thames played a season-high 27 minutes and scored a season-high 17 points to lead Missouri Western. Thames has been coming off of a left hand injury.

Sophomore Taye Fields had 15 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Sophomore Julius Dixon finished with 14 points.

The Griffons shot 46.5 percent from the field and were 17-of-24 at the free throw line Saturday.

"They kept fighting the entire 40 minutes," Martin said of his team. "It makes me proud as a coach. I don't want to lose. None of us do. We're ultimate competitors, but to have a team, no matter what the score is, they're going to continue to fight. That means a lot to me."

Missouri Western has now lost three straight, and also dropped their 22nd in a row to the Bearcats.

The Missouri Western men start a busy week on Tuesday at home with a makeup game against Fort Hays State. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. Both Griffon teams then head to Wichita Thursday to face Newman.

"It never gets easier in this league," Martin said. "You can't circle any games as wins. They're all tough. This is a tough stretch for us and it'll test our character and our grit."

Those games Thursday start at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. All of the games will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673142089269.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western freshman Kassandra Caron&nbsp; (42) scored a career-high 10 points in the Griffons' 55-37 win at Northwest Missouri State Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western freshman Kassandra Caron&nbsp; (42) scored a career-high 10 points in the Griffons' 55-37 win at Northwest Missouri State Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMARYVILLE - It took the Missouri Western women's basketball team a little while to get going Saturday against Northwest Missouri State.But once they got going, the Griffons were tough to stop.A three-pointer by junior Jordan Cunningham with 6:59 left in the second quarter gave Missouri Western its first lead at 14-12, and the Griffons (13-4, 7-2 MIAA) never looked back in a 55-37 win over Northwest at Bearcat Arena in Maryville Saturday.The Griffons outscored Northwest 18-3 in the second period after trailing 10-7 at the end of the first."I thought our defense is why the middle (of the game) was so good," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "We sped the game up, we got more possessions, we used our length and athleticism to turn them over and make them take a quicker shot."Missouri Western picked up where they left off after halftime, scoring 26 third quarter points and shooting 62.5 percent from the field during that time.The Griffons led by as many as 26 before Northwest (7-7, 2-6 MIAA) narrowed the gap a bit, outscoring Missouri Western 12-4 in the final quarter.Still, the Griffons held Northwest to 28.6 percent shooting from the field and Missouri Western scored 22 points off of 17 Bearcat turnovers.Junior Brionna Budgets led Missouri Western in scoring with a game-high 15 points. Junior Connie Clarke logged her eighth double-double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds.Junior Jordan Cunningham and freshman Kassandra Caron each scored 10 points off the bench."I thought both Jordan and Kassie were huge for us," Whitaker said, "at a time when we were struggling. It was a tight ball game and we weren't making shots (early on) and weren't getting to multiple sides, and both of them made huge plays and had shots go down."Sophomore Molly Hartnett led Northwest eight points. Sophomore Caely Kesten scored seven.Saturday's win is now the sixth straight for the Griffons, as they claimed their first win in Bearcat Arena since January 2020. The 37 points also ties the fewest Missouri Western has ever allowed in an MIAA game.The Griffons have real momentum as they head out on the road to face Newman Thursday and Central Oklahoma Saturday."We're getting close to the halfway point (of the season)," Whitaker said. "Every game is important in this league. It's so important to stay focused on that. I think that teams that get their eye off of the next opponent can let things slip up. Our entire focus will be on Newman, then UCO and just take it game-by-game."Postgame interviews<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-freshman-Kassandra-Caron---Northwest-Missouri-State-postgame-e1t727t" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-WBB-coach-Candi-Whitaker---Northwest-Missouri-State-postgame-e1t724d" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Northwest men end first half on a 23-2 run, Bearcats roll to victory<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673146475700.jpeg" alt="JaRon Thamesgoes up for a shot during Missouri Western's 87-64 loss at No. 5 Northwest Missouri State Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma." />
 <figcaption>JaRon Thamesgoes up for a shot during Missouri Western's 87-64 loss at No. 5 Northwest Missouri State Saturday. Photo by Arianne Boma.</figcaption>
 </figure>Missouri Western came to play in the first 10.5 minutes of Saturday's game, trading baskets with No. 5 Northwest and even leading 16-14 with 9:24 left in the first half.The Bearcats (14-1, 7-1 MIAA) then found their groove and never let up, ending the first half on a 23-2 run. Northwest led 37-18 at halftime and cruised to an 87-64 win at Bearcat Arena Saturday.Missouri Western committed 12 first half turnovers, and the Bearcats hit six of their first nine shots from downtown."I thought once we were able to get clicking a bit more on offense, I thought that helped a ton," Northwest coach Ben McCollum said. "I thought we got out in front of (Missouri Western's) angles quite a bit. I thought we were able to defend them pretty good."Missouri Western played much better offensively in the second half, shooting 59.1 percent in the final 20 minutes and connecting on 15-of-20 free throws during that time as well.The Griffons committed only three turnovers in the second half after giving up 12 in the first 20 minutes."So when we just hand them those possessions, it's hard for me to evaluate where our offense is," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "We turned the ball over three times in the second half and scored 46 points. I'll continue to say it - we have to value possessions and take care of the basketball."The Bearcats kept up their pace on offense down the stretch, shooting 64.3 percent in the second half and 63.3 percent on the day. Northwest also knocked down 14-of-26 shots from long range.Junior Wes Dreamer led five Bearcats in double figures with 17 points. Dreamer alone was 5-of-8 from three. Senior Diego Bernard had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.Sophomore Mitch Mascari scored 13 points, junior Luke Waters scored 12 while freshman Bennett Stirtz had 11.Junior JaRon Thames played a season-high 27 minutes and scored a season-high 17 points to lead Missouri Western. Thames has been coming off of a left hand injury.Sophomore Taye Fields had 15 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Sophomore Julius Dixon finished with 14 points.The Griffons shot 46.5 percent from the field and were 17-of-24 at the free throw line Saturday."They kept fighting the entire 40 minutes," Martin said of his team. "It makes me proud as a coach. I don't want to lose. None of us do. We're ultimate competitors, but to have a team, no matter what the score is, they're going to continue to fight. That means a lot to me."Missouri Western has now lost three straight, and also dropped their 22nd in a row to the Bearcats.The Missouri Western men start a busy week on Tuesday at home with a makeup game against Fort Hays State. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. Both Griffon teams then head to Wichita Thursday to face Newman."It never gets easier in this league," Martin said. "You can't circle any games as wins. They're all tough. This is a tough stretch for us and it'll test our character and our grit."Those games Thursday start at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. All of the games will be carried on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).Postgame interview<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Missouri-Western-MBB-coach-Will-Martin---Northwest-Missouri-State-postgame-e1t728b" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU WBB dominates down the stretch, Bearcat men rout Griffons Saturday

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes set the NFL record for total yards in a season, and the Kansas City Chiefs rolled to a 31-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday to lock up the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

Mahomes passed for 202 yards and rushed for 29 against the Raiders, giving him 5,608 total yards this season. That surpassed the record of 5,562 yards set by Drew Brees in 2011 with the New Orleans Saints.

More than setting the mark, Mahomes helped ensure the top seed for the Chiefs (14-3) and a bye in the first round of the playoffs, which begin next weekend. Kansas City, however, is not assured of home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Because Monday night’s Buffalo-Cincinnati game was canceled, the Chiefs could wind up playing the Bills or Bengals in the AFC championship on a neutral field. The Buffalo-Cincinnati game initially was postponed after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest. Hamlin remains in critical condition, but is improving.

The Chiefs matched their franchise record for regular-season victories, set in 2020, and they set a team mark with their 17th consecutive game of at least 300 yards of offense.

The Raiders (6-11) ended their first season under coach Josh McDaniels with three consecutive losses and four defeats in five games. They made the playoffs a year ago, but now face serious questions at quarterback, offensive line and throughout the defense.

Jarrett Stidham started his second game in a row in place of the sidelined Derek Carr, and this performance didn’t go nearly as well as the first one. Stidham completed 22 of 36 passes for 219 yards with a touchdown and interception. He was sacked six times.

A week ago, he threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-34 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, who was dealing with hip and oblique injuries as well as a reported family emergency, was a game-day decision but played. He rushed for 45 yards and could possibly win the NFL rushing title with 1,653 yards.

But Jacobs fell short of the franchise rushing record of 1,759 yards set by Marcus Allen in 1985. This was potentially Jacobs’ final game as a member of the Raiders because his fifth-year option was not picked up. His performance this season has given Las Vegas officials plenty to consider.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes set the NFL record for total yards in a season, and the Kansas City Chiefs rolled to a 31-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday to lock up the AFC’s No. 1 seed.Mahomes passed for 202 yards and rushed for 29 against the Raiders, giving him 5,608 total yards this season. That surpassed the record of 5,562 yards set by Drew Brees in 2011 with the New Orleans Saints.More than setting the mark, Mahomes helped ensure the top seed for the Chiefs (14-3) and a bye in the first round of the playoffs, which begin next weekend. Kansas City, however, is not assured of home-field advantage throughout the postseason.Because Monday night’s Buffalo-Cincinnati game was canceled, the Chiefs could wind up playing the Bills or Bengals in the AFC championship on a neutral field. The Buffalo-Cincinnati game initially was postponed after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest. Hamlin remains in critical condition, but is improving.The Chiefs matched their franchise record for regular-season victories, set in 2020, and they set a team mark with their 17th consecutive game of at least 300 yards of offense.The Raiders (6-11) ended their first season under coach Josh McDaniels with three consecutive losses and four defeats in five games. They made the playoffs a year ago, but now face serious questions at quarterback, offensive line and throughout the defense.Jarrett Stidham started his second game in a row in place of the sidelined Derek Carr, and this performance didn’t go nearly as well as the first one. Stidham completed 22 of 36 passes for 219 yards with a touchdown and interception. He was sacked six times.A week ago, he threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-34 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers.Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, who was dealing with hip and oblique injuries as well as a reported family emergency, was a game-day decision but played. He rushed for 45 yards and could possibly win the NFL rushing title with 1,653 yards.But Jacobs fell short of the franchise rushing record of 1,759 yards set by Marcus Allen in 1985. This was potentially Jacobs’ final game as a member of the Raiders because his fifth-year option was not picked up. His performance this season has given Las Vegas officials plenty to consider.

Patrick Mahomes sets NFL record, Chiefs beat Raiders to claim first round bye

It’s a rivalry restored this weekend in the MIAA as Northwest Missouri State gets set to host Missouri Western in basketball Saturday.

The Bearcat men are once again a force to be reckoned with. Ranked No. 5 in the country, Northwest is 13-1 overall 6-1 in the MIAA.

Ben McCollum, now in his 14th year as head coach at Northwest, says he has a team that can share the basketball effectively and develop the right habits.

"We're a very unselfish team," McCollum told KFEQ Radio. "We've got good kids. Pretty tough kids.&nbsp; I think the big thing for us is to continue to develop quality habits and bring effort every single game, every day, every practice. Like any team, if you can do that more consistently and just get better at what you're good at, eventually good things can happen."

Leading the way for Northwest is senior and St. Joseph native Diego Bernard, who made the decision to use his fifth year of eligibility and come play for the Bearcats one final season.

Not surprisingly, it’s worked out. Northwest is tied for first in the MIAA standings, and the Bearcats seem ready to compete for a fourth straight national championship.

McCollum says Bernard has become the natural leader of the team, and not just because of his playing ability.

"He's the heart and soul of the team, just because of the energy he can supply," McCollum said of Bernard. "For us, he supplies it every day. He's been great as far as being a leader this season. He's allowed the other guys to be comfortable because of his energy and toughness and mentality."

The Missouri Western men, meanwhile, are getting ready for their toughest test of the season so far.

The Griffons are 7-5 overall and 3-3 in the MIAA after a 62-61 loss to Rogers State and a 75-73 loss to Northeastern State over this past week - both at home.

Missouri Western coach Will Martin says there's a lot his team can learn from those experiences.

"There's nobody who wants to win more than me," Martin said on the Missouri Western Coaches' Luncheon Tuesday. "It's probably an unhealthy obsession how bad I want to win, and that's what we're here to do. But for me, it's always about the deeper lessons for life."

Missouri Western seeks its first win over Northwest in men's hoops since January 2013. The Griffons haven't won in Maryville since January 2009. Northwest has won 21 straight games in this series.

Coach Martin knows that his team needs to start delivering on their end of this rivalry at some point.

"We have to start doing our part on the basketball end when it comes to that rivalry," Martin admitted. "It's hard to call it a rivalry when they've won 20 straight games against us. We have to do our part, and that's what we intend to do when we go down there and when we get them again at home."

&nbsp; Missouri Western will host Northwest on February 18.

A big X-factor for Missouri Western Saturday, though, could be junior forward JaRon Thames. The St. Louis native played in all 31 games last year and started 18 of them, scoring a career-high 27 points against the Bearcats last February.

Thames has played 22 minutes in four games this year. He's been limited with a hand injury, but he had his best outing of the season Monday against Northeastern State, coming off the bench and scoring 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting in just six minutes.

"It's been hard for (Thames) to go through the psychological and physical battle of getting injured and reinjured and not knowing if he was going to be able to play at all this year," Martin said. "I'm really, really proud of his response. He just gives us a different mojo on the floor. When he's on the floor, you feel like you can get a bucket."

Missouri Western women's basketball once again trending up The Missouri Western women's basketball team finds themselves, once again, in a pretty strong position entering the back half of the season.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Griffons are 12-4 overall and 6-2 in the MIAA following a 74-53 win over Northeastern State in St. Joseph Monday. It’s their fifth straight win and Missouri Western is now tied for third in the MIAA standings.&nbsp;

 Heading into this portion of the season, head coach Candi Whitaker wants her team to show consistent intensity in each game.

"I always want our team to compete like they're competing for a national championship every time they hit the floor," Whitaker said. "It's challenging at times when you're playing a team and it's a bit lopsided, but we just have to have more discipline."

Still, coming off of a Central Region title and 24 wins last year, the Griffons are riding high in early 2023.

"I think our confidence level is very high," sophomore Abby Bala said after scoring a career-high 17 points against Northeastern State Monday. "I think we're all just on a roll and we'll be ready to keep it going."

Missouri Western assistant coach Emily Wacker says the team's depth and fast tempo on offense have, once again, been keys to success this year.

"Sharing the ball and being able to play a lot of people," Wacker said. "I think depth is something we've always talked about. Being able to continue to use that to our advantage is really important, especially as we get into January and February basketball."

The Griffons have 10 players who average more than 14 minutes per contest, with several players taking on bigger roles.

Junior and Missouri State transfer Trinity Knapp is one of them. The 6-2 forward has started eight games, is shooting north of 52 percent and leads the team with 14 total blocks.

Coach Wacker says Knapp has embraced her starting role.

"She looks to me like she's comfortable," Wacker said of Knapp, "and not in a bad way, but a good way. She's found a rhythm and a groove. She's not forcing, but taking what is presented to her and really finding her stride. I think the players around her are understanding where does Trinity want the ball and where is she going to be the most successful."

Another player taking on a bigger role is the aforementioned Abby Bala. She’s started each of the last four games, and is now second on the team with 20 made three-pointers. However, Bala says becoming a better defender is something she’s prioritized.

"Over the postseason and preseason, I really worked on my defense," Bala said. "Just to stay active with my feet and my hands. If you can play defense, you can play offense. It kind of goes hand-in-hand."

There’s still a long road ahead this year, and that journey starts Saturday in Maryville at Northwest Missouri State (7-6, 2-5 MIAA). Coach Whitaker says the Bearcats provide a unique challenge.

"(Northwest) wants it to be slow and they don't want to give you anything in transition," Whitaker noted. "They do a great job. They don't make mistakes on the offensive end. They rarely turn it over. They're unique. I'm glad we've had some time. One, to get a day off, and then also to prep."&nbsp;

Coach Wacker says the Griffons should win if they simply stick to what’s been working thus far.

"I think it's doing what we do best," Wacker said when asked what the key to victory is. "Just playing fast and playing with good energy. Sharing the basketball. That up tempo, fast-paced style of basketball, really we're at our best when we're doing that. Shooters stepping up with confidence and sharing the basketball."

Saturday's games start at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Both will be broadcast live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com, KFEQ app) with coverage starting at 1 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673028736171.jpeg" alt="The Missouri Western women's basketball team suffered their first loss of the season last year at Bearcat Arena when Northwest handed the Griffons a 49-46 loss in Maryville in December 2021. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>The Missouri Western women's basketball team suffered their first loss of the season last year at Bearcat Arena when Northwest handed the Griffons a 49-46 loss in Maryville in December 2021. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt’s a rivalry restored this weekend in the MIAA as Northwest Missouri State gets set to host Missouri Western in basketball Saturday.The Bearcat men are once again a force to be reckoned with. Ranked No. 5 in the country, Northwest is 13-1 overall 6-1 in the MIAA.Ben McCollum, now in his 14th year as head coach at Northwest, says he has a team that can share the basketball effectively and develop the right habits."We're a very unselfish team," McCollum told KFEQ Radio. "We've got good kids. Pretty tough kids.&nbsp; I think the big thing for us is to continue to develop quality habits and bring effort every single game, every day, every practice. Like any team, if you can do that more consistently and just get better at what you're good at, eventually good things can happen."Leading the way for Northwest is senior and St. Joseph native Diego Bernard, who made the decision to use his fifth year of eligibility and come play for the Bearcats one final season.Not surprisingly, it’s worked out. Northwest is tied for first in the MIAA standings, and the Bearcats seem ready to compete for a fourth straight national championship.McCollum says Bernard has become the natural leader of the team, and not just because of his playing ability."He's the heart and soul of the team, just because of the energy he can supply," McCollum said of Bernard. "For us, he supplies it every day. He's been great as far as being a leader this season. He's allowed the other guys to be comfortable because of his energy and toughness and mentality."The Missouri Western men, meanwhile, are getting ready for their toughest test of the season so far.The Griffons are 7-5 overall and 3-3 in the MIAA after a 62-61 loss to Rogers State and a 75-73 loss to Northeastern State over this past week - both at home.Missouri Western coach Will Martin says there's a lot his team can learn from those experiences."There's nobody who wants to win more than me," Martin said on the Missouri Western Coaches' Luncheon Tuesday. "It's probably an unhealthy obsession how bad I want to win, and that's what we're here to do. But for me, it's always about the deeper lessons for life."Missouri Western seeks its first win over Northwest in men's hoops since January 2013. The Griffons haven't won in Maryville since January 2009. Northwest has won 21 straight games in this series.Coach Martin knows that his team needs to start delivering on their end of this rivalry at some point."We have to start doing our part on the basketball end when it comes to that rivalry," Martin admitted. "It's hard to call it a rivalry when they've won 20 straight games against us. We have to do our part, and that's what we intend to do when we go down there and when we get them again at home."&nbsp; Missouri Western will host Northwest on February 18. A big X-factor for Missouri Western Saturday, though, could be junior forward JaRon Thames. The St. Louis native played in all 31 games last year and started 18 of them, scoring a career-high 27 points against the Bearcats last February.Thames has played 22 minutes in four games this year. He's been limited with a hand injury, but he had his best outing of the season Monday against Northeastern State, coming off the bench and scoring 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting in just six minutes."It's been hard for (Thames) to go through the psychological and physical battle of getting injured and reinjured and not knowing if he was going to be able to play at all this year," Martin said. "I'm really, really proud of his response. He just gives us a different mojo on the floor. When he's on the floor, you feel like you can get a bucket."Coach interviews<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/Northwest-Missouri-State-MBB-coach-Ben-McCollum-e1t4k1d" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></ifra</div><div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-Coaches-Luncheon-1323---MBB-coach-Will-Martin-e1t4k9g" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>Missouri Western women's basketball once again trending up The Missouri Western women's basketball team finds themselves, once again, in a pretty strong position entering the back half of the season.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Griffons are 12-4 overall and 6-2 in the MIAA following a 74-53 win over Northeastern State in St. Joseph Monday. It’s their fifth straight win and Missouri Western is now tied for third in the MIAA standings.&nbsp; Heading into this portion of the season, head coach Candi Whitaker wants her team to show consistent intensity in each game."I always want our team to compete like they're competing for a national championship every time they hit the floor," Whitaker said. "It's challenging at times when you're playing a team and it's a bit lopsided, but we just have to have more discipline."Still, coming off of a Central Region title and 24 wins last year, the Griffons are riding high in early 2023."I think our confidence level is very high," sophomore Abby Bala said after scoring a career-high 17 points against Northeastern State Monday. "I think we're all just on a roll and we'll be ready to keep it going."Missouri Western assistant coach Emily Wacker says the team's depth and fast tempo on offense have, once again, been keys to success this year."Sharing the ball and being able to play a lot of people," Wacker said. "I think depth is something we've always talked about. Being able to continue to use that to our advantage is really important, especially as we get into January and February basketball."The Griffons have 10 players who average more than 14 minutes per contest, with several players taking on bigger roles.Junior and Missouri State transfer Trinity Knapp is one of them. The 6-2 forward has started eight games, is shooting north of 52 percent and leads the team with 14 total blocks.Coach Wacker says Knapp has embraced her starting role."She looks to me like she's comfortable," Wacker said of Knapp, "and not in a bad way, but a good way. She's found a rhythm and a groove. She's not forcing, but taking what is presented to her and really finding her stride. I think the players around her are understanding where does Trinity want the ball and where is she going to be the most successful."Another player taking on a bigger role is the aforementioned Abby Bala. She’s started each of the last four games, and is now second on the team with 20 made three-pointers. However, Bala says becoming a better defender is something she’s prioritized."Over the postseason and preseason, I really worked on my defense," Bala said. "Just to stay active with my feet and my hands. If you can play defense, you can play offense. It kind of goes hand-in-hand."There’s still a long road ahead this year, and that journey starts Saturday in Maryville at Northwest Missouri State (7-6, 2-5 MIAA). Coach Whitaker says the Bearcats provide a unique challenge."(Northwest) wants it to be slow and they don't want to give you anything in transition," Whitaker noted. "They do a great job. They don't make mistakes on the offensive end. They rarely turn it over. They're unique. I'm glad we've had some time. One, to get a day off, and then also to prep."&nbsp;Coach Wacker says the Griffons should win if they simply stick to what’s been working thus far."I think it's doing what we do best," Wacker said when asked what the key to victory is. "Just playing fast and playing with good energy. Sharing the basketball. That up tempo, fast-paced style of basketball, really we're at our best when we're doing that. Shooters stepping up with confidence and sharing the basketball."Saturday's games start at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Both will be broadcast live on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com, KFEQ app) with coverage starting at 1 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673028926962.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Reese Glover goes up for a basket in last season's game at Bearcat Arena. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Reese Glover goes up for a basket in last season's game at Bearcat Arena. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Northwest, Missouri Western ready to battle at Bearcat Arena Saturday

NEW YORK — The NFL has canceled the Bills and Bengals' week 17 game and announced their plans for playoff scenarios. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed all clubs of his decision on Thursday, after speaking with the Bills, the Bengals and NFL Players Association leadership.

“This has been a very difficult week,” Goodell said. “We continue to focus on the recovery of Damar Hamlin and are encouraged by the improvements in his condition as well as the tremendous outpouring of support and care for Damar and his family from across the country.  We are also incredibly appreciative of the amazing work of the medical personnel and commend each and every one of them.”

Canceling the game between the Bills and Bengals creates potential competitive inequities in certain playoff scenarios. The NFL says that in an effort to mitigate those "inequities," NFL clubs will consider Friday in a Special League Meeting a resolution recommended by the Commissioner and approved today by the Competition Committee, consisting of two elements: 

The AFC Championship Game will be played at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and both could have been the number one seed and hosted the game had all AFC clubs played a full 17-game regular season. Those circumstances involve Buffalo or Cincinnati qualifying for the game as a road team and are listed below:

Buffalo and Kansas City both win or both tie in week 18 – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.

Buffalo and Kansas City both lose in week 18 and Baltimore wins or ties – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.

Buffalo and Kansas City both lose in week 18 and Cincinnati wins – a Buffalo or Cincinnati vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.

If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati in Week 18 it will have defeated Cincinnati, a divisional opponent, twice but will not be able to host a playoff game because Cincinnati will have a higher winning percentage for a 16-game schedule than Baltimore will for a 17-game schedule. 

If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati and if those two clubs are scheduled to play a Wild Card game against one another, the site for that game would be determined by a coin toss. 

If Cincinnati wins the Week 18 game or if Baltimore and Cincinnati are not scheduled to play one another in the Wild Card round, the game sites would be determined by the regular scheduling procedures.

NEW YORK — The NFL has canceled the Bills and Bengals' week 17 game and announced their plans for playoff scenarios. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed all clubs of his decision on Thursday, after speaking with the Bills, the Bengals and NFL Players Association leadership.“This has been a very difficult week,” Goodell said. “We continue to focus on the recovery of Damar Hamlin and are encouraged by the improvements in his condition as well as the tremendous outpouring of support and care for Damar and his family from across the country. We are also incredibly appreciative of the amazing work of the medical personnel and commend each and every one of them.”Canceling the game between the Bills and Bengals creates potential competitive inequities in certain playoff scenarios. The NFL says that in an effort to mitigate those "inequities," NFL clubs will consider Friday in a Special League Meeting a resolution recommended by the Commissioner and approved today by the Competition Committee, consisting of two elements: The AFC Championship Game will be played at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and both could have been the number one seed and hosted the game had all AFC clubs played a full 17-game regular season. Those circumstances involve Buffalo or Cincinnati qualifying for the game as a road team and are listed below:Scenario 1Buffalo and Kansas City both win or both tie in week 18 – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.Scenario 2Buffalo and Kansas City both lose in week 18 and Baltimore wins or ties – a Buffalo vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.Scenario 3Buffalo and Kansas City both lose in week 18 and Cincinnati wins – a Buffalo or Cincinnati vs Kansas City championship game would be at a neutral site.If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati in Week 18 it will have defeated Cincinnati, a divisional opponent, twice but will not be able to host a playoff game because Cincinnati will have a higher winning percentage for a 16-game schedule than Baltimore will for a 17-game schedule. If Baltimore defeats Cincinnati and if those two clubs are scheduled to play a Wild Card game against one another, the site for that game would be determined by a coin toss. If Cincinnati wins the Week 18 game or if Baltimore and Cincinnati are not scheduled to play one another in the Wild Card round, the game sites would be determined by the regular scheduling procedures.

🏈 NFL releases scenarios after canceling Buffalo-Cincinnati game

The Lafayette boys came out flat Thursday, getting down 17-9 early in the second quarter. Irish coach Kevin Bristol called a timeout and had what he described as a "come to Jesus" moment with his team on the bench.

"We basically talked about not playing with energy," Bristol said. "If we come out and play with energy, those are the kind of things we can do. You always have to play with energy, especially in your house."

The Irish (6-4) brought the energy after that talk, reeling off a 15-1 run in the first half and leading 24-19 at the break. Lafayette led by as many as 21 in the second half and ended up with a 72-57 victory over the Spoofhounds at Lafayette High School Thursday night.

Lafayette's dominance was on display in the second half, as the Irish scored 48 points over the game's final 16 minutes. Senior Mikey Thomas was especially dominant, as he finished with a game-high 25 points - 19 of that came after halftime.

"We wanted to come out and have energy," Thomas said. "We love playing at home. We don't get to have very many home games. So, every home game we have, we cherish it and I think that's what gets us going."

Senior Camden Bennett scored 15 points, sophomore Antonio Williams had 10 while senior Connor Zeit had nine points on three straight three-pointers in the second half.

"I feel confident when my teammates can find me," Zeit said. "I'm always ready to knock down the shots. That's my role, so that's what I had to do."

Sophomore Peyton McCollum led Maryville (8-3) with 15 points. Junior Derek Quinlin had 13 points. Senior Caden Stoecklein and junior Delton Davis each had 10.

In a battle of top MEC contenders, Lafayette showed out on their home floor after a 1-2 showing in the Neosho Holiday Classic against top tier competition in late December.

"We pry won't see those types of teams (we saw at Neosho)," Bristol said. "So, we know that if we can compete with those guys, we know we can compete anywhere. Those were Class 6 and 5 teams (at Neosho). We were pry the smallest school down there, and we were able to compete. That's all we look for."

"That's one of the best teams in the league," Thomas said of Maryville. "That just gives us the confidence that we can run the table in the MEC."

Lafayette heads to Bishop LeBlond High School to play Omaha Roncalli (NE) in the Steve Vertin Classic on Saturday at 1 p.m. Maryville is home to Red Oak (IA) on Friday.

Maryville girls fend off late charge, survive Lafayette Thursday

Maryville led by as many as 14 in the second half before Lafayette made a great push, using a 14-2 run to tie the game at 37 with about a minute left.

Maryville senior Anastyn Pettlon, however, hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 46 seconds to go, and the Spoofhounds got four key free throws from Pettlon and senior Rylee Vierthaler in the final moments, as Maryville (5-5) held on for a 44-39 win Thursday.

Vierthaler led Maryville with 16 points. Pettlon finished with 15. Junior Talicia Byrd led Lafayette with 11 points. Junior Honor Mannings had 10.

The Irish (5-8) take part in the Kearney Invitational from Jan. 9-14.&nbsp; Maryville is at East Buchanan on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672979865069.jpeg" alt="Lafayette's Antonio Williams (4) dribbles in the first half of Thursday's game against Maryville. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette's Antonio Williams (4) dribbles in the first half of Thursday's game against Maryville. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Lafayette boys came out flat Thursday, getting down 17-9 early in the second quarter. Irish coach Kevin Bristol called a timeout and had what he described as a "come to Jesus" moment with his team on the bench."We basically talked about not playing with energy," Bristol said. "If we come out and play with energy, those are the kind of things we can do. You always have to play with energy, especially in your house."The Irish (6-4) brought the energy after that talk, reeling off a 15-1 run in the first half and leading 24-19 at the break. Lafayette led by as many as 21 in the second half and ended up with a 72-57 victory over the Spoofhounds at Lafayette High School Thursday night.Lafayette's dominance was on display in the second half, as the Irish scored 48 points over the game's final 16 minutes. Senior Mikey Thomas was especially dominant, as he finished with a game-high 25 points - 19 of that came after halftime."We wanted to come out and have energy," Thomas said. "We love playing at home. We don't get to have very many home games. So, every home game we have, we cherish it and I think that's what gets us going."Senior Camden Bennett scored 15 points, sophomore Antonio Williams had 10 while senior Connor Zeit had nine points on three straight three-pointers in the second half."I feel confident when my teammates can find me," Zeit said. "I'm always ready to knock down the shots. That's my role, so that's what I had to do."Sophomore Peyton McCollum led Maryville (8-3) with 15 points. Junior Derek Quinlin had 13 points. Senior Caden Stoecklein and junior Delton Davis each had 10.In a battle of top MEC contenders, Lafayette showed out on their home floor after a 1-2 showing in the Neosho Holiday Classic against top tier competition in late December."We pry won't see those types of teams (we saw at Neosho)," Bristol said. "So, we know that if we can compete with those guys, we know we can compete anywhere. Those were Class 6 and 5 teams (at Neosho). We were pry the smallest school down there, and we were able to compete. That's all we look for.""That's one of the best teams in the league," Thomas said of Maryville. "That just gives us the confidence that we can run the table in the MEC."Lafayette heads to Bishop LeBlond High School to play Omaha Roncalli (NE) in the Steve Vertin Classic on Saturday at 1 p.m. Maryville is home to Red Oak (IA) on Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672979937429.jpeg" alt="Camden Bennett (white jersey) drives for a layup." />
 <figcaption>Camden Bennett (white jersey) drives for a layup.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672980030570.jpeg" alt="Mikey Thomas (1)." />
 <figcaption>Mikey Thomas (1).</figcaption>
 </figure>Maryville girls fend off late charge, survive Lafayette ThursdayMaryville led by as many as 14 in the second half before Lafayette made a great push, using a 14-2 run to tie the game at 37 with about a minute left.Maryville senior Anastyn Pettlon, however, hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 46 seconds to go, and the Spoofhounds got four key free throws from Pettlon and senior Rylee Vierthaler in the final moments, as Maryville (5-5) held on for a 44-39 win Thursday.Vierthaler led Maryville with 16 points. Pettlon finished with 15. Junior Talicia Byrd led Lafayette with 11 points. Junior Honor Mannings had 10.The Irish (5-8) take part in the Kearney Invitational from Jan. 9-14.&nbsp; Maryville is at East Buchanan on Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672980061478.jpeg" alt="Honor Mannings (24)." />
 <figcaption>Honor Mannings (24).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672980162139.jpeg" alt="Rylee Vierthaler (15)." />
 <figcaption>Rylee Vierthaler (15).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672980180019.jpeg" alt="Talicia Byrd (30)." />
 <figcaption>Talicia Byrd (30).</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette boys overcome slow start, win big over Maryville Thursday

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has fired basketball coach Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, with the school telling his attorney on Thursday that Beard is “unfit" for the position.

Beard had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract that included a provision he could be fired for cause if he was charged with a felony or committed other behavior unbecoming of his position or that reflected poorly on the university.

The charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation family violence carries a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years if convicted; the woman told police Beard strangled and bit her, but later denied he choked her.

Beard had been suspended without pay since he was arrested, and school officials had said there was internal investigation.

The university's vice president of legal affairs, Jim Davis, wrote in a letter to Beard's attorney Thursday that Beard engaged in “unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as head coach at our university.” Whether prosecutors continue with the case does not determine whether Beard engaged in conduct unbecoming of the school, Davis wrote.

Police responded to an emergency call at Beard’s house after midnight on Dec. 12 and arrested him after Beard's fiancée, Randi Trew, told officers he choked her from behind, bit her and hit her when the two got in an argument.

The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of extreme violence, but Trew issued a public statement on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-chris-beard-top-25-college-basketball-today-99133534a0645c7318c6557d425d5dcf">Dec. 23 in which she denied telling police Beard choked her.</a>&nbsp;She also said she never intended for him to be arrested or prosecuted.

“Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening," Trew said in her statement. “Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that. I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way.”

Trew’s statement did not address why she made the emergency call or other details in the police report, such as bite marks and abrasions on her face and telling officers that she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds.

Beard’s attorney, Perry Minton, has said the coach is innocent, and pointed to Trew's statement in a letter sent early Thursday to the university in which Minton pressed the school to keep Beard.

“Coach Beard has not done anything to violate any provision of his contract with the University of Texas,” Minton wrote, adding he expects the charges to be dropped.

Minton's letter also said Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte “has repeatedly reported to our team that he is certain that Chris Beard did nothing wrong — and is innocent." It also said said that Texas officials told Beard to resign or be fired.

“Your letter this morning reveals that Mr. Beard does not understand the significance of the behavior he knows he engaged in, or the ensuing events that impair his ability to effectively lead our program,” Davis wrote in the school's termination letter.

“This lack of self-awareness is yet another failure of judgement that makes Mr. Beard unfit to serve as a head coach at our university,” Davis wrote.

According to the arrest affidavit, Trew initially told police that she and Beard they had been in an argument where she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.” Police reported Trew said Beard slapped her glasses off her face and “choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”

The Travis County district attorney's office has not responded to previous requests for comment on Beard's case or whether Trew's Dec. 23 statement would change how prosecutors proceed with the felony charge. A Jan. 18 court hearing is scheduled, according to online records.

Beard led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA Tournament championship game and was hired at Texas in 2021 with the expectation that he would lift his alma mater to the same elite level. He had the Longhorns program humming this season, starting 6-0 and ranked as high as No. 2.

Associate head coach Rodney Terry took Beard's place during the suspension, and Del Conte said Thursday that Terry would remain acting head coach through the rest of this season.

“We thank Coach Rodney Terry for his exemplary leadership both on and off the court at a time when our team needed it most," Del Conte said. “We are proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, who throughout this difficult time have continued to make us proud to be Longhorns.”

The Longhorns (12-2, 1-1 Big 12) won their first five games under Terry before losing 116-103 to Kansas State on Tuesday.

A Texas graduate, Beard spent 10 seasons at Texas Tech as an assistant under Bob Knight from 2001-2011, then returned there as head coach in 2016.

He was 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders and was named The The Associated Press coach of the year in 2019 as he guided Texas Tech to a 31-7 finish and lost in an overtime thriller to Virginia in the national championship game.

His departure for Texas — a deal reached after a meeting with Del Conte that included a McDonald’s breakfast an hour’s drive north of Lubbock — left Texas Tech officials frustrated.

As soon as he landed in Austin, Beard set out to rebuild a program from the ground up, changing the roster and trying to whip up new enthusiasm for the program as he engaged with students and often held comedic “fireside chats” on campus. In his first season, he led Texas to a first-round victory over Virginia Tech that was the Longhorns’ first NCAA Tournament win since 2014.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670872672542.png" alt="Chris Beard from his arrest in Travis County" />
 <figcaption>Chris Beard from his arrest in Travis County</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has fired basketball coach Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, with the school telling his attorney on Thursday that Beard is “unfit" for the position.Beard had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract that included a provision he could be fired for cause if he was charged with a felony or committed other behavior unbecoming of his position or that reflected poorly on the university.The charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation family violence carries a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years if convicted; the woman told police Beard strangled and bit her, but later denied he choked her.Beard had been suspended without pay since he was arrested, and school officials had said there was internal investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672954198060.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The university's vice president of legal affairs, Jim Davis, wrote in a letter to Beard's attorney Thursday that Beard engaged in “unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as head coach at our university.” Whether prosecutors continue with the case does not determine whether Beard engaged in conduct unbecoming of the school, Davis wrote.Police responded to an emergency call at Beard’s house after midnight on Dec. 12 and arrested him after Beard's fiancée, Randi Trew, told officers he choked her from behind, bit her and hit her when the two got in an argument.The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of extreme violence, but Trew issued a public statement on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-chris-beard-top-25-college-basketball-today-99133534a0645c7318c6557d425d5dcf">Dec. 23 in which she denied telling police Beard choked her.</a>&nbsp;She also said she never intended for him to be arrested or prosecuted.“Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening," Trew said in her statement. “Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that. I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way.”Trew’s statement did not address why she made the emergency call or other details in the police report, such as bite marks and abrasions on her face and telling officers that she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds.Beard’s attorney, Perry Minton, has said the coach is innocent, and pointed to Trew's statement in a letter sent early Thursday to the university in which Minton pressed the school to keep Beard.“Coach Beard has not done anything to violate any provision of his contract with the University of Texas,” Minton wrote, adding he expects the charges to be dropped.Minton's letter also said Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte “has repeatedly reported to our team that he is certain that Chris Beard did nothing wrong — and is innocent." It also said said that Texas officials told Beard to resign or be fired.“Your letter this morning reveals that Mr. Beard does not understand the significance of the behavior he knows he engaged in, or the ensuing events that impair his ability to effectively lead our program,” Davis wrote in the school's termination letter.“This lack of self-awareness is yet another failure of judgement that makes Mr. Beard unfit to serve as a head coach at our university,” Davis wrote.According to the arrest affidavit, Trew initially told police that she and Beard they had been in an argument where she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.” Police reported Trew said Beard slapped her glasses off her face and “choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”The Travis County district attorney's office has not responded to previous requests for comment on Beard's case or whether Trew's Dec. 23 statement would change how prosecutors proceed with the felony charge. A Jan. 18 court hearing is scheduled, according to online records.Beard led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA Tournament championship game and was hired at Texas in 2021 with the expectation that he would lift his alma mater to the same elite level. He had the Longhorns program humming this season, starting 6-0 and ranked as high as No. 2.Associate head coach Rodney Terry took Beard's place during the suspension, and Del Conte said Thursday that Terry would remain acting head coach through the rest of this season.“We thank Coach Rodney Terry for his exemplary leadership both on and off the court at a time when our team needed it most," Del Conte said. “We are proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, who throughout this difficult time have continued to make us proud to be Longhorns.”The Longhorns (12-2, 1-1 Big 12) won their first five games under Terry before losing 116-103 to Kansas State on Tuesday.A Texas graduate, Beard spent 10 seasons at Texas Tech as an assistant under Bob Knight from 2001-2011, then returned there as head coach in 2016.He was 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders and was named The The Associated Press coach of the year in 2019 as he guided Texas Tech to a 31-7 finish and lost in an overtime thriller to Virginia in the national championship game.His departure for Texas — a deal reached after a meeting with Del Conte that included a McDonald’s breakfast an hour’s drive north of Lubbock — left Texas Tech officials frustrated.As soon as he landed in Austin, Beard set out to rebuild a program from the ground up, changing the roster and trying to whip up new enthusiasm for the program as he engaged with students and often held comedic “fireside chats” on campus. In his first season, he led Texas to a first-round victory over Virginia Tech that was the Longhorns’ first NCAA Tournament win since 2014.

🏀 Texas fires coach Chris Beard amid domestic violence charge

Missouri Western football coach Tyler Fenwick has added three more assistant coaches this week, rounding out his first complete staff as head coach.

Todd Throckmorton will return to Missouri Western as the offensive coordinator. This will mark Throckmorton’s fourth stint as a member of the Griffon coaching staff. He coached a variety of positions for the Griffons from 1990-96, serving as assistant head coach during the 1996 season.

He returned as offensive line coach in 2004 and 05, and then became the tight ends coach in 2009, taking over the offensive line from 2009-2012, and then served as offensive coordinator from 2013-17.

Throckmorton rejoined Fenwick in 2019 at Southeastern Oklahoma, serving as the program's offensive line coach and offensive coordinator. He’s also had coaching stops at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, New Mexico, San Jose State and he was the head coach at Fort Lewis College.&nbsp;

Shane Dowty will join the Griffons as the safeties and special teams coach. Dowty previously served on Fenwick's staff at Missouri S&amp;T.

Dowty spent the 2022 season at Arkansas State, serving as an offensive quality control coach. He spent a year there after coaching on both sides of the ball during his second stint at Missouri S&amp;T from 2019-2021, coaching linebackers in his first year and ending as the quarterbacks coach. He also was the defensive coordinator at Mid-America Nazarene in 2018.

Also, Aaron Bell has been named as the new wide receivers coach for the Griffons. This will be Bell's second stint on the Missouri Western staff, as he served from 2006-2014 as the wide receivers coach.

Since his time at Missouri Western, Bell has spent time at KIPP Legacy High School, Park Hill High School and North Kansas City High School as an assistant football coach.

During Bell's first tenure at Missouri Western, the Griffons posted a 77-31 combined record and made six postseason appearances, including an MIAA championship in 2012. A graduate of Pittsburg State, Bell also played at Missouri State and Fort Scott Community College.

Before Christmas break, Fenwick announced <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a6bcb511-68c4-4d79-aee7-6222ec8dcd12">four defensive assistant coaching hires</a>, including Erik Johnson as defensive coordinator. Patrick St. Louis, the only coach retained from Matt Williamson's staff, will shift from coaching offensive line to running backs.

Fenwick was hired by Missouri Western as the new head football coach on December 8.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671227945272.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western football coach Tyler Fenwick&nbsp; has rounded out his first full staff since being hired by the Griffons in December. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western football coach Tyler Fenwick&nbsp; has rounded out his first full staff since being hired by the Griffons in December. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western football coach Tyler Fenwick has added three more assistant coaches this week, rounding out his first complete staff as head coach.Todd Throckmorton will return to Missouri Western as the offensive coordinator. This will mark Throckmorton’s fourth stint as a member of the Griffon coaching staff. He coached a variety of positions for the Griffons from 1990-96, serving as assistant head coach during the 1996 season.He returned as offensive line coach in 2004 and 05, and then became the tight ends coach in 2009, taking over the offensive line from 2009-2012, and then served as offensive coordinator from 2013-17.Throckmorton rejoined Fenwick in 2019 at Southeastern Oklahoma, serving as the program's offensive line coach and offensive coordinator. He’s also had coaching stops at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, New Mexico, San Jose State and he was the head coach at Fort Lewis College.&nbsp;Shane Dowty will join the Griffons as the safeties and special teams coach. Dowty previously served on Fenwick's staff at Missouri S&amp;T. Dowty spent the 2022 season at Arkansas State, serving as an offensive quality control coach. He spent a year there after coaching on both sides of the ball during his second stint at Missouri S&amp;T from 2019-2021, coaching linebackers in his first year and ending as the quarterbacks coach. He also was the defensive coordinator at Mid-America Nazarene in 2018.Also, Aaron Bell has been named as the new wide receivers coach for the Griffons. This will be Bell's second stint on the Missouri Western staff, as he served from 2006-2014 as the wide receivers coach.Since his time at Missouri Western, Bell has spent time at KIPP Legacy High School, Park Hill High School and North Kansas City High School as an assistant football coach.During Bell's first tenure at Missouri Western, the Griffons posted a 77-31 combined record and made six postseason appearances, including an MIAA championship in 2012. A graduate of Pittsburg State, Bell also played at Missouri State and Fort Scott Community College.Before Christmas break, Fenwick announced <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/a6bcb511-68c4-4d79-aee7-6222ec8dcd12">four defensive assistant coaching hires</a>, including Erik Johnson as defensive coordinator. Patrick St. Louis, the only coach retained from Matt Williamson's staff, will shift from coaching offensive line to running backs.Fenwick was hired by Missouri Western as the new head football coach on December 8.

MWSU Football rounds out coaching staff with three new hires this week

The Bishop LeBlond boys basketball team used scoring runs in the first and third quarters to separate themselves from Mid-Buchanan, eventually pulling out a 54-36 win on Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.

The Eagles (8-4) ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run to go up 11-6 and eventually led 24-11 with 2:26 left in the second.

Mid-Buchanan answered back with a 7-0 run of their own to make it a 24-18 ball game at halftime.

"I was pretty fired up with the kids at halftime," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "I was not real happy with the way we finished the first half. We kind of got after them in the locker room a little bit. Anytime you play Mid-Buch, no lead is safe, because they're so aggressive and so good defensively and turn you over."

LeBlond played well coming out of the locker room, scoring 17 third quarter points and ending the third on an 8-0 run to lead 41-25 entering the fourth.

Mid-Buchanan fought to the end, but the Eagles maintained a comfortable lead through the final eight minutes.

Sophomore Chris Miljavic led LeBlond with a game-high 16 points on four made three-pointers.

"I think we did good," Miljavic said. "It all starts with teammates finding open guys."

Senior Jake Korell scored 14 points, while senior Landon Gardner followed with 11. Senior Joe Clark led Mid-Buchanan with 14 points. Fellow senior Jackson Wahlgren scored eight for the Dragons.

In the end, it was a nice bounce back for LeBlond after finishing a disappointing fourth in their home LeBlond tournament last week.

Plus, LeBlond got some payback after Mid-Buchanan beat the Eagles 48-43 in the Mound City Invitational championship back on December 3.

"The kids really battled and played really hard," Girres said. "We struggled in the last two games of our (LeBlond) tournament and we had a quick turnaround. It was nice to put one in the win column."

The LeBlond boys are in action Thursday at Chillicothe. Mid-Buchanan is at West Platte Friday.

LeBlond girls get off to fast start, stay unbeaten after routing Dragons

The Bishop LeBlond girls (11-0) had little trouble with Mid-Buchanan Tuesday, getting off to a 20-1 start and rolling to a 60-38 win. Senior Tatum Studer scored 17 points, while fellow senior Shae Lewis had 16.

Studer sunk four three-pointers in the win. Senior Mallie Lieffring led Mid-Buchanan (5-8) with 10 points.

The LeBlond girls are home to Chillicothe Friday. Mid-Buchanan is at West Platte on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672801234599.jpeg" alt="Cooper Waterman (12) looks to drive during Tuesday's game against Mid-Buchanan at Bishop LeBlond High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Cooper Waterman (12) looks to drive during Tuesday's game against Mid-Buchanan at Bishop LeBlond High School. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Bishop LeBlond boys basketball team used scoring runs in the first and third quarters to separate themselves from Mid-Buchanan, eventually pulling out a 54-36 win on Tuesday night at Grace Gymnasium.The Eagles (8-4) ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run to go up 11-6 and eventually led 24-11 with 2:26 left in the second.Mid-Buchanan answered back with a 7-0 run of their own to make it a 24-18 ball game at halftime."I was pretty fired up with the kids at halftime," LeBlond coach Mitch Girres said. "I was not real happy with the way we finished the first half. We kind of got after them in the locker room a little bit. Anytime you play Mid-Buch, no lead is safe, because they're so aggressive and so good defensively and turn you over."LeBlond played well coming out of the locker room, scoring 17 third quarter points and ending the third on an 8-0 run to lead 41-25 entering the fourth.Mid-Buchanan fought to the end, but the Eagles maintained a comfortable lead through the final eight minutes.Sophomore Chris Miljavic led LeBlond with a game-high 16 points on four made three-pointers."I think we did good," Miljavic said. "It all starts with teammates finding open guys."Senior Jake Korell scored 14 points, while senior Landon Gardner followed with 11. Senior Joe Clark led Mid-Buchanan with 14 points. Fellow senior Jackson Wahlgren scored eight for the Dragons.In the end, it was a nice bounce back for LeBlond after finishing a disappointing fourth in their home LeBlond tournament last week.Plus, LeBlond got some payback after Mid-Buchanan beat the Eagles 48-43 in the Mound City Invitational championship back on December 3."The kids really battled and played really hard," Girres said. "We struggled in the last two games of our (LeBlond) tournament and we had a quick turnaround. It was nice to put one in the win column."The LeBlond boys are in action Thursday at Chillicothe. Mid-Buchanan is at West Platte Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672802895086.jpeg" alt="Jackson Sauvage (10)." />
 <figcaption>Jackson Sauvage (10).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672802971578.jpeg" alt="Ian Wegenka (5)." />
 <figcaption>Ian Wegenka (5).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672802998163.jpeg" alt="Jake Korell (20) goes up for a layup." />
 <figcaption>Jake Korell (20) goes up for a layup.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672803024526.jpeg" alt="Joe Clark (0)." />
 <figcaption>Joe Clark (0).</figcaption>
 </figure>LeBlond girls get off to fast start, stay unbeaten after routing DragonsThe Bishop LeBlond girls (11-0) had little trouble with Mid-Buchanan Tuesday, getting off to a 20-1 start and rolling to a 60-38 win. Senior Tatum Studer scored 17 points, while fellow senior Shae Lewis had 16.Studer sunk four three-pointers in the win. Senior Mallie Lieffring led Mid-Buchanan (5-8) with 10 points.The LeBlond girls are home to Chillicothe Friday. Mid-Buchanan is at West Platte on Friday.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

LeBlond boys, girls come away with big home wins over Mid-Buchanan Tuesday

The Missouri Western women's basketball team slowly pulled away from Northeastern State Monday. The Griffons led by 33 with 9:08 to go and came away with a 74-53 win over the Riverhawks at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons (12-4, 6-2 MIAA) held Northeastern State to just eight third quarter points and were firing on all cylinders for the most part, but Northeastern State (4-7, 1-6 MIAA) limited the damage, ending the game on a 14-3 run over the final 7:37.

Still, Missouri Western had some impressive performances Monday. Junior Connie Clarke logged her seventh double-double of the season, leading the team with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Junior Brionna Budgets had 15 points and four boards, while fellow junior Trinity Knapp scored 13. In all, 11 Griffons scored and Missouri Western tallied 24 bench points.

The Griffons scored 22 points off of 14 Northeastern State turnovers. Missouri Western held Northeastern State to a 36.7 percent shooting effort from the field, including a 4-of-18 mark from three.

"I always want our team to compete like they're competing for a national championship every single time they hit the floor," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "It's challenging at times when you're playing a team and it's a bit lopsided, but we have to have more discipline, and I thought how we ended that game wasn't good."

MWSU men rally from big deficit, fall just shy in closing seconds

The Northeastern State men's basketball team shot lights out to begin Monday's game and led 32-14 with 7:33 left until halftime.

That lead ballooned to 59-35 with 13:04 left in the game. The Griffons turned the tide, outscoring the Riverhawks 38-16 over those final 13 minutes.

Missouri Western tied the game at 73 with just two seconds remaining after Julius Dixon banked in a tying three-pointer from the right wing. Shortly after though, Missouri Western's Reese Glover was called on a foul.

It was the 10th team foul on Missouri Western (7-5, 3-3 MIAA), putting the Riverhawks in the double bonus with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock. Northeastern State's Dillon Bailey made both free throws, and the Riverhawks prevailed 75-73 at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

Dixon, who had 16 points Monday, got a shot off from midcourt at the buzzer as time expired to try and give Missouri Western victory, but the shot missed and the Griffons suffered their second loss by two points or less in the last three days.

"I think we would have had a great chance in overtime," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said of Monday's result. "Obviously, we can't lose our mind. We have to know time and score. We're lifting Reese up and it's never one play. You can't be in a position where you're down 24 points. You can't do that. We turned the ball over too much in the first half."

Taye Fields led Missouri Western with 19 points and nine rebounds. Glover had 11 points on three critical three-pointers in the second half. Junior JaRon Thames, who's been limited with a left hand injury, played seven minutes Monday and scored 10 points, all in the second half, in just his fourth appearance this season.

"He was big," Martin said of Thames. "We've been waiting to get him back. We're always going to slow roll getting guys back, because their health is the most important, but this was a game that we wanted to utilize him. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have come back in that game."

Northeastern State (7-4, 4-3 MIAA) had a multi-pronged attack on offense Monday. The Riverhawks were led by Dillon Bailey and Christian Cook, who each finished with 18 points. Cook also had seven assists and six rebounds.

Rashad Perkins had 16 points for the Riverhawks on 3-of-4 shooting from three, helping Northeastern State to their first win in St. Joseph since February 2013.

Both Missouri Western teams go just up the road Saturday to face rival Northwest Missouri State. The women play at 1:30 and the men follow at 3:30 p.m.

Both games are on KFEQ (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672719286553.jpeg" alt="Connie Clarke (10) led the Missouri Western women's basketball team with 16 points and 11 rebounds during the Griffons' 74-53 win over Northeastern State on Monday. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Connie Clarke (10) led the Missouri Western women's basketball team with 16 points and 11 rebounds during the Griffons' 74-53 win over Northeastern State on Monday. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team slowly pulled away from Northeastern State Monday. The Griffons led by 33 with 9:08 to go and came away with a 74-53 win over the Riverhawks at the MWSU Fieldhouse.The Griffons (12-4, 6-2 MIAA) held Northeastern State to just eight third quarter points and were firing on all cylinders for the most part, but Northeastern State (4-7, 1-6 MIAA) limited the damage, ending the game on a 14-3 run over the final 7:37.Still, Missouri Western had some impressive performances Monday. Junior Connie Clarke logged her seventh double-double of the season, leading the team with 16 points and 11 rebounds.Junior Brionna Budgets had 15 points and four boards, while fellow junior Trinity Knapp scored 13. In all, 11 Griffons scored and Missouri Western tallied 24 bench points.The Griffons scored 22 points off of 14 Northeastern State turnovers. Missouri Western held Northeastern State to a 36.7 percent shooting effort from the field, including a 4-of-18 mark from three."I always want our team to compete like they're competing for a national championship every single time they hit the floor," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "It's challenging at times when you're playing a team and it's a bit lopsided, but we have to have more discipline, and I thought how we ended that game wasn't good."MWSU men rally from big deficit, fall just shy in closing secondsThe Northeastern State men's basketball team shot lights out to begin Monday's game and led 32-14 with 7:33 left until halftime.That lead ballooned to 59-35 with 13:04 left in the game. The Griffons turned the tide, outscoring the Riverhawks 38-16 over those final 13 minutes.Missouri Western tied the game at 73 with just two seconds remaining after Julius Dixon banked in a tying three-pointer from the right wing. Shortly after though, Missouri Western's Reese Glover was called on a foul.It was the 10th team foul on Missouri Western (7-5, 3-3 MIAA), putting the Riverhawks in the double bonus with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock. Northeastern State's Dillon Bailey made both free throws, and the Riverhawks prevailed 75-73 at the MWSU Fieldhouse.Dixon, who had 16 points Monday, got a shot off from midcourt at the buzzer as time expired to try and give Missouri Western victory, but the shot missed and the Griffons suffered their second loss by two points or less in the last three days."I think we would have had a great chance in overtime," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said of Monday's result. "Obviously, we can't lose our mind. We have to know time and score. We're lifting Reese up and it's never one play. You can't be in a position where you're down 24 points. You can't do that. We turned the ball over too much in the first half."Taye Fields led Missouri Western with 19 points and nine rebounds. Glover had 11 points on three critical three-pointers in the second half. Junior JaRon Thames, who's been limited with a left hand injury, played seven minutes Monday and scored 10 points, all in the second half, in just his fourth appearance this season."He was big," Martin said of Thames. "We've been waiting to get him back. We're always going to slow roll getting guys back, because their health is the most important, but this was a game that we wanted to utilize him. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have come back in that game."Northeastern State (7-4, 4-3 MIAA) had a multi-pronged attack on offense Monday. The Riverhawks were led by Dillon Bailey and Christian Cook, who each finished with 18 points. Cook also had seven assists and six rebounds.Rashad Perkins had 16 points for the Riverhawks on 3-of-4 shooting from three, helping Northeastern State to their first win in St. Joseph since February 2013.Both Missouri Western teams go just up the road Saturday to face rival Northwest Missouri State. The women play at 1:30 and the men follow at 3:30 p.m.Both games are on KFEQ (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU WBB knocks off Northeastern State, MWSU MBB rallies and falls short Monday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes moved into the rarest of company Sunday, joining Tom Brady and Drew Brees as the only quarterbacks with multiple 5,000-yard passing seasons, and the Chiefs overcame another sloppy start to beat the Broncos for the 15th consecutive time and stay alive for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

So everything must be good in Kansas City, right?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672610964644.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) celebrates after scoring past Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) and teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon (1) celebrates after scoring past Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) and teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel).</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes moved into the rarest of company Sunday, joining Tom Brady and Drew Brees as the only quarterbacks with multiple 5,000-yard passing seasons, and the Chiefs overcame another sloppy start to beat the Broncos for the 15th consecutive time and stay alive for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.So everything must be good in Kansas City, right?“There's not a lot satisfying for me,” Mahomes said shortly after the 27-24 victory Sunday.There was the pick he threw in the end zone and the mechanics that went awry in the second half. There was the fumbled punt return that led to a Denver touchdown, a sloppy snap on a point-after attempt and even a blocked field goal.Yet the Chiefs (13-3) still managed to escape a 17-13 third-quarter deficit and rally for their fourth consecutive win.“When I don't have my best stuff and guys step up and we still win football games,” said Mahomes, who nevertheless finished with 328 yards passing and three touchdowns, “that's a good thing.”Jerick McKinnon had two touchdown catches while Blake Bell and Isiah Pacheco also scored for the Chiefs, who began the day tied with Buffalo for the best record in the AFC; the Bills play Cincinnati on Monday night.“We'll watch it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said with a smile.Denver's Russel Wilson threw for 222 yards and a touchdown while also running for a pair of scores, the second of them — after two costly penalties on the Kansas City defense — pulling Denver within 27-24 with 6:14 left in the game.The Broncos got the ball back with just under four minutes to go, too, and picked up a quick first down. But the Kansas City defense stiffened near midfield, and Chris Jones sacked Wilson on fourth-and-2 to effectively end the game.The Chiefs' sluggish start against the downtrodden Broncos wasn't all that surprising. They've habitually played down to the opposition, whether it was in their overtime win at Houston or their 34-28 victory over the Broncos three weeks ago.But the Chiefs also have proven over the years their ability to strike quickly, and they did that after falling behind for the first time Sunday. Mahomes answered with long passes to Toney and McKinnon, a penalty on third down gave them a fresh set of downs, and McKinnon turned a screen pass into a touchdown reception for the fifth straight game.That streak is the longest for an NFL running back since Bill Dudley of the Lions in 1947.“If I would have told you I saw it was coming, nah,” McKinnon said, “but that's what you put the work in the offseason for, when you're opportunity comes you're ready for the moment.”The Chiefs struggled to maintain momentum after halftime, though, going three-and-out on their first three possessions. And the Broncos, with their third play-caller of the season in offensive coordinator Justin Outten, capitalized with a 63-yard touchdown drive that gave them a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter.Then the Chiefs began looking like the Chiefs. And the Broncos like the Broncos.Mahomes led the AFC West champs briskly downfield before hitting Bell from 17 yards for his first regular-season touchdown catch. And on the very next play, Wilson threw a wobbler under pressure that L'Jarius Sneed picked off, setting up McKinnon's second touchdown catch of the day and his eighth in the past five games.The Broncos scored in the fourth quarter to give themselves a chance before Kansas City put the game away.“When you win and you don't feel like you play you best ball, that's a really good thing,” Mahomes said. “We have to find a way to, for four quarters, play our best football when we get to the playoffs. And I feel like we haven't done that.”STATS AND STREAKSMahomes improved to 11-0 against Denver, joining Andrew Luck (11-0 vs Tennessee) as the only QBs in the Super Bowl era with more than 10 wins and no losses against an opponent. The Chiefs' 15 straight wins over Denver is tied for the third-longest streak of any team against an opponent in NFL history. The Broncos have not won against the Chiefs since Sept. 17, 2015.INJURIESLG Joe Thuney (ankle) left late in the third quarter and WR Skyy Moore (hand) in the fourth. L'Jarius Sneed also hurt his hip on his interception return in the fourth.The Chiefs visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in their regular-season finale. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Coverage starts at 2:30 p.m. on KFEQ (680, 95.3) and Q Country 92.7 FM in St. Joseph.

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