By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The Missouri Western men's basketball team battled back from a seven-point halftime deficit, and a 55-43 deficit with 10:40 to go, to force overtime and ultimately beat William Jewell 80-76 at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday evening.
After going 0-2 in a pair of overtime games earlier this season, the Griffons (4-4) scored the first five points of the extra period, and were able to hold on from there.
"It's a game of inches every game," Griffons head coach Will Martin said. "I'm going to say it - I think our guys deserve this win. They've been through a lot from a basketball sense, but also off the court, too. But, there's a lot of adversity these guys have had to face and they've looked adversity in the eye and have responded every single time."
Playing without lead scorer Q Mays for a second straight game due to a family emergency, Missouri Western wasn't able to find its shooting touch over the first 10 minutes and struggled to contain William Jewell's 6-9 center and Tarleton State transfer, Heri Tshiyoyo, who had six points and an assist as the Cardinals opened up a 16-8 lead.
The Griffons responded and took a 24-22 lead with 6:33 left in the first half, but the Cardinals (2-4) went on another run to go up 34-27 at the break.
Missouri Western faced its largest deficit at 55-43 with 10:40 remaining. Trailing 66-63 in the final minute, Reese Glover attempted a long three with less than 20 seconds to go. The shot missed, but Glover was fouled behind the line and attempted three free throws.
Glover, who finished with 16 points and three made three-pointers, converted on all three of those free throws to tie the game at 66 and force OT.
"You learn more in the losses, but you have to apply what you've learned," Martin said. "So, I told the guys, 'We've been here. Now, let's see if we're willing to apply what we've learned.' We had been to two overtimes and weren't able to get the W. So, let's have confidence that we're going to learn through the losses and lessons."
The first 75 seconds of overtime was emphatic for Missouri Western. After a JaRon Thames dunk on the Griffons' first possession of OT, junior Caleb Bennett got a steal at midcourt, and fired the ball to a wide open Glover, who sunk a wide open three to put Missouri Western head 71-66 with 3:41 left in OT.
The Griffons never trailed again.
"I'm just glad our guys got to experience sticking with it, not having doubt and not falling to the level of your talent but rather rising to the level of your preparation and that's what I kept telling the guys."
Bennett finished with 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and 6-of-7 shooting from the foul line. Freshman center J.C. Anthony, who played 17 solid minutes off the bench was also key with a career-high eight points and four rebounds.
Anthony's biggest moment came with eight seconds left in overtime, as he battled for an offensive rebound after a miss by Will Eames, and then had an easy put-back to give the Griffons a 79-76 lead.
The Cardinals tried a contested corner three in the closing seconds, but Thames got the defensive rebound with 0.5 left, and that was it.
In all, the Griffons had four players in double figures. Eames scored a team-high 18 and also led Missouri Western with seven rebounds. Thames ended up with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.
After earning back-to-back wins for the first time this season, Missouri Western enters MIAA play at home this Thursday as they host Rogers State (5-0). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. following the women's game at 5:30.
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