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Author: Dave Riggert

Missouri State falls at Illinois State for first Valley loss

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John Wilkins scored 15 points and Illinois State never trailed Wednesday night in defeating Missouri State 68-60.

Tyler Brown and Bryant Allen had 14 points apiece for the Redbirds (10-4, 2-1 Missouri Valley). Jon Ekey had 12 rebounds and Jackie Carmichael grabbed 10 boards as Illinois State held a 44-33 edge on the glass.

Kyle Weems led Missouri State (9-6, 2-1) with 18 points. Jamar Gulley had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Bears.

Illinois State never led by more than 12 in the game, but Missouri State couldn’t get any closer than five points after the first few seconds of the second half.

— Associated Press —

No. 7 Mizzou routs Oklahoma in Big 12 opener

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Missouri played as if its 13-0 start was no big deal. So much for Oklahoma’s impressive start.

Kim English had 23 points and nine rebounds, and the No. 7 Tigers hit 12 3-pointers and had a big rebounding advantage over a larger opponent to open Big 12 play with an 87-49 rout of the Sooners on Tuesday night.

“I don’t know that we can play any better,” Haith said. “We played about as flawless a game as you can play.”

Marcus Denmon added 20 points for the Tigers (14-0, 1-0), who were 12 for 21 from 3-point range, held the Sooners (10-3, 0-1) to 33 percent shooting and outrebounded them 38-23. Missouri is one of four unbeaten teams in the nation and the start is the school’s best since the 1981-82 team was 19-0.

“Big 12 play got here really fast, it seems like those 13 games flew by,” Denmon said. “We understand this is where teams are made, in conference play. None of those wins before conference matter.”

The margin of victory entering Missouri’s final Big 12 schedule was its second-biggest in conference play, trailing only a 45-point spread against Colorado in 2009. The dominance was a bit unexpected coming off tests in the last two games, in which they were outrebounded 41-31 by Old Dominion and allowed Illinois to make a game of it because of poor shot selection.

Oklahoma saw no flaws.

“We were amped up,” English said. “If things are going for us, it does build. We’re not looking at the score, but it did increase for us pretty well.”

Oklahoma suffered the most lopsided loss against Missouri since a 66-22 setback in 1922. It’s also the school’s worst in the Big 12.

“Didn’t offer much resistance,” coach Lon Kruger said. “We’re tested at this point. We’ll see how we respond to it.”

Andrew Fitzgerald scored all but two of his 18 points in the first half for Oklahoma, which has a pair of blowout losses against Missouri schools, falling by 20 points against Saint Louis in November. The third loss was by a point to Cincinnati.

“We suffered a loss tonight, in a big number,” guard Sam Grooms said. “But I don’t think confidence goes down from it because even the best teams lose. It takes a game like this to hit you in the mouth, to make you think about what you could have done, what you could have been better at.”

The matchup against a school coming off an impressive pre-conference schedule attracted the first sellout of the season of 15,061. That’s about a 6,000 improvement from the last home game against William & Mary on Dec. 18.

“It was great, it was awesome,” English said. “So proud of our fans, and the students were gone. Started the year off right.”

Ricardo Ratliffe added 13 points and eight rebounds, reserve Michael Dixon had 13 points and Phil Pressey had seven assists for Missouri.

Steven Pledger added 11 points for Oklahoma, but on 3-for-10 shooting with just three points in the first half while Missouri took a commanding 43-25 lead. Oklahoma has lost six of its last seven conference openers.

The Sooners were picked to finish in a tie for last in the Big 12 by coaches but entered the game among the national leaders in rebounding, offensive rebounds, and 3-point percentage, and held their previous seven opponents to 59 points. Missouri topped that total with 13:50 to go on its 10th 3-pointer by English to make it 61-34.

Take out Fitzgerald’s 16-point half and Oklahoma was just 4 for 19 from the field. Pledger was held to three points on 1-for-7 shooting for the Sooners, who shot 35 percent and whose halftime deficit doubled their previous high.

Oklahoma was just 3 for 13 to start the game, falling behind by 10 the first 6:13. Six points from Fitzgerald in a span of 1:16 shaved the deficit to four at 20-16. Missouri answered with a 10-2 run capped by Denmon’s 3-pointer with just under 7 minutes to go, and pulled away the rest of the half.

— Associated Press —

Chiefs sign six players to future contracts

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The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Tuesday that the club has signed six players: FB Shane Bannon, OL Rob Bruggeman, LB Caleb Campbell, WR Jamar Newsome, DL Luke Patterson and DT Anthony Toribio.

Bannon (6-3, 267) entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2011 NFL Draft and spent seven weeks on the club’s practice squad before being placed on the practice squad injured list. The Southbury, Conn. native played in 28 games (10 starts) at Yale.

Bruggeman (6-4, 286) spent five weeks on Kansas City’s practice squad in 2011 after playing in two games with Atlanta (2010-11). He originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with Tampa Bay in 2009. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native was a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a senior at Iowa.

Campbell (6-2, 237) spent seven weeks on the Chiefs practice squad in 2011 after attending training camp with Detroit in 2011. He played in three games with Detroit in 2010 after originally entering the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick of Detroit in 2008. He missed two seasons (2008-09) to complete his two-year active duty service in the U.S. Army. The Perryton, Texas native played in 43 games (38 starts) at Army.

Newsome (6-1, 201) spent four weeks on Kansas City’s practice squad after playing in two games with Jacksonville in 2011. He also spent time on the Pittsburgh practice squad. The St. Petersburg, Fla. native played in 36 games for Central Florida.

Patterson (6-4, 295) spent 16 weeks on the practice squad with Kansas City after originally entering the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Chiefs in 2011. The Kingsville, Texas native played in 50 games (38 starts) at Texas A&M.

Toribio (6-1, 315) spent all 16 games on the Kansas City practice squad in 2011 after playing in five contests and being inactive for 11 games for the Chiefs in 2010. He also appeared in one game for Green Bay in 2009 after originally entering the NFL as a rookie free agent with Miami in 2008. The Miami, Fla. native was a four-year letterman at Carson-Newman.

— Chiefs Public Relations —

Kansas adds Rob Ianello to football coaching staff

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Kansas head football coach Charlie Weis announced the addition of Rob Ianello to the Jayhawk football staff here Tuesday. Ianello, who will coach the KU wide receivers and also serve as the recruiting coordinator, joins the Kansas program after serving the previous two seasons as the head coach at Akron.

Prior to his stint at Akron, Ianello was a member of the coaching staff at Notre Dame from 2005-09, coaching all five seasons under Weis. He coached the Irish in the 2008 Hawai’i Bowl, 2007 Sugar Bowl and 2006 Fiesta Bowl.

From 2005-08 at Notre Dame, he served as wide receivers coach and coordinated the recruiting efforts of the Irish. In January 2009, he was promoted to assistant head coach for offense. In that role, he led offensive staff meetings when head coach Charlie Weis was not present, and later served as the team’s interim head coach.

Notre Dame’s 2009 offense ranked sixth nationally in passing offense (323.50 ypg) and ninth in total offense (451.75 ypg). Ianello mentored Irish wide receiver Golden Tate, who was the 2009 Biletnikoff Award winner and a consensus All-American. Additionally he coached Jeff Samardzija, who was a Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2005 and 2006 and earned All-America honors in 2006.

As the recruiting coordinator for the Irish, he directed three consecutive top-10 recruiting classes from 2006-08, something only three other schools (USC, Florida and Georgia) could claim. Additionlly, Ianello is the only coach named one of the 25-best recruiters nationally from 2005-09 by Rivals.com. In the book “The Second Season” by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, Ianello is named one of the top-10 recruiters of the last 30 years.

Ianello had two coaching stints at Wisconsin (1990-93, 2003-04), and was part of a staff that helped lead the Badgers to the 1994 Rose Bowl, the 2003 Music City Bowl and the 2005 Outback Bowl.

From 1994-2002, Ianello was on staff at Arizona, serving as recruiting coordinator from 1994-96, and wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator from 1997-2002. The Wildcats played in two bowl games, the 1997 Insight.com Bowl and the 1998 Holiday Bowl. The 1998 Arizona team finished 12-1, which stands as the best record in school history.-+

Ianello served on the board of trustees of the American Football Coaches Association in from 2003 to 2009. The board formulates policy and provides direction for the AFCA. He also has served as the chair of the AFCA’s assistant coaches committee and the general chairman of the AFCA’s all-division assistant coaches committee. He currently serves on the AFCA ethics committee.

— KU Sports Information —

Chiefs’ Johnson, Houston earn 2011 individual awards

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The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Monday that LB Derrick Johnson was named the winner of the club’s Derrick Thomas Award and LB Justin Houston earned the team’s Mack Lee Hill Award. Both honors were voted on by Chiefs players and will officially be presented at the 42nd Annual 101 Banquet on March 3.

As a tribute to the late Derrick Thomas, the Chiefs annual Most Valuable Player Award was renamed in his honor following his death in February of 2000. The Mack Lee Hill Award is presented each year to the Chiefs rookie or first-year player who best exemplifies the spirit of the late Mack Lee Hill, who passed away during his second season with the Chiefs in ’65.

Johnson (6-3, 242) established a Chiefs single-season record with 179 tackles (131 solo) and was selected to his first career Pro Bowl. He is the first Chiefs linebacker elected to the Pro Bowl since Thomas following the ’97 season. Johnson also recorded 11 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks (-10.0 yards), two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 11 QB pressures and five passes defensed.

The seventh-year veteran registered double-digit tackle totals in 10 contests, including three 16-tackle performances. Johnson was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week following his Week 8 performance vs. San Diego (10/31), when he notched 16 tackles (15 solo), a sack (-7.0 yards), a tackle for loss and an interception on Monday Night Football. He has 326 tackles over the last two seasons, the most tackles in consecutive seasons in franchise history.

A first-round draft pick (15th overall) out of the University of Texas in 2005, Johnson has played in 106 games (93 starts) for the Chiefs. He has recorded 750 tackles (572 solo), 16.0 sacks (-111.0 yards), nine interceptions returned for 233 yards with three TDs, 16 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 49 passes defensed and 37 QB pressures. He recently moved into sixth place on the franchise tackle chart.

Houston (6-3, 268) played in all 16 games (10 starts) and registered 70 tackles (63 solo) with 5.5 sacks (-27.5 yards), 12 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, four passes defensed and 12 QB pressures. His 5.5 sacks tied for the fifth-highest total by a rookie in Chiefs history. He also recorded six special teams tackles.

In a Week 13 win at Chicago (12/4), Houston registered 10 solo tackles and tied a Chiefs rookie record with 3.0 sacks (-15.0 yards) to go along with a forced fumble, three QB pressures and a pass defensed. During a Week 17 victory at Denver (1/1), he set a career high with 11 tackles and had 1.5 sacks (-5.5 yards), two tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and four QB pressures. Over the final six weeks of the season, Houston recorded 38 tackles (36 solo), eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks (-27.5 yards), a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, eight QB pressures and three passes defensed.

A third-round pick (70th overall) out of Georgia in 2011, Houston recorded 125 tackles (70 solo), 20.0 sacks (-134.0 yards) and 38 tackles for loss (168.0 yards) during his collegiate career. He was an all-state honorable mention performer at Statesboro High School in Statesboro, Ga.

— Chiefs Public Relations —

KU’s Robinson named Big 12 Player of the Week

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Kansas junior Thomas Robinson has been named Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week, respectively, for games of Dec. 26 – Jan. 1 in voting by a panel of media covering the conference. It is the third honor this season for Robinson.

A 6-10 forward from Washington, D.C., Robinson averaged 19.5 points and 14.0 rebounds as Kansas recorded victories over Howard (89-34) and North Dakota (84-58). He shot 70 percent (14-of-20) from the field on the week, while making 71.4 percent (10-of-14) of his shots from the free-throw line. He also had six assists, one block and three steals.

Robinson’s top performance came versus North Dakota, as he finished with career-highs of 30 points and 21 rebounds. It was the sixth time in Big 12 history that a player has posted at least 30 points and 20 rebounds in the same game and first time a Jayhawk player has done so since Feb. 13, 1961 (Wayne Hightower).

Robinson has 17.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game this season, the only player in the Big 12 averaging a double-double. He was also named Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week Nov. 27 and Dec. 12.

Kansas (10-3) opens up Big 12 play when it hosts Kansas State (11-1) in the Sunflower Showdown presented by Dillons on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. (Central). The game will be televised on the Big 12 Network and ESPN Full Court.

— KU Sports Information —

Missouri State’s Weems, Downing honored by MVC

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Kyle Weems is the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, and Anthony Downing has earned MVC Newcomer of the Week honors, the league announced Monday (Jan. 2).

Weems (Sr., F, Topeka, Kan.) helped Missouri State to a 2-0 start in league play with a career-high 31-point output in Wednesday’s win at No. 19 Creighton and 22 points in Saturday’s home win over Drake. He was 21-for-34 (.618) from the field in two games, including 5-of-6 (.833) from three-point range. He also led MSU in rebounding in both contests, averaging 8.0 caroms per game. Weems was 11-for-22 from the field against Creighton with 7 rebounds and knocked down all six free throws he attempted in the final 42 seconds to help the Bears secure their first-ever road win against a ranked opponent. He followed that with a 10-for-12 shooting effort against Drake with 9 rebounds.

This is Weems’ sixth career MVC Player of the Week honor. Only three players in MVC history — Hersey Hawkins, Bradley (14), Bob Harstad, Creighton (8) and Kyle Korver, Creighton (7) have earned MVC Player of the Week honors more times than Weems.

Downing (Jr., G, Atchison, Kan.,  Independence [Kan.] Community College) is the MVC Newcomer of the Week for the second time this season. He posted a pair of double-figure scoring efforts this week to average 18.5 points per game in his first two collegiate starts. He was 11-for-14 from the field at Creighton to pace his career-high 26-point night. He was also 4-for-6 from three-point range along with 4 rebounds and 5 assists against the Bluejays. He followed that effort with an 11-point game against Drake on Saturday.

The Bears have earned MVC Newcomer of the Week laurels five times this season. Downing also received the award on Nov. 14

Missouri State (9-5, 2-0) resumes conference play Wednesday at JQH Arena when the Illinois State Redbirds (9-4, 1-1) visit.

— MSU Sports Information —

Chiefs end season with win at Denver

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Even in defeat, Tim Tebow came out a winner.

Tebow fell short in his latest comeback bid, yet his Denver Broncos still made it the playoffs Sunday.

As the AFC West champions, no less. Meaning more Tebowmania, at least for another week.

Former Denver quarterback Kyle Orton got his revenge in leading the Kansas City Chiefs over the Broncos 7-3. But the Broncos wound up in the postseason anyway when San Diego knocked off Oakland minutes later.

“It’s obviously a little bittersweet right now,” Tebow said. “We would have loved to have won that game to have a little momentum going into the playoffs. But I think it’s still a special thing what we accomplished, to come back and win the AFC West is very special.”

Now, the Broncos (8-8) will host the wild-card Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) in the first round next Sunday.

“Well, we’re AFC West champs,” Broncos coach John Fox said. “It doesn’t matter how you do it. Once you get into the dance, they can’t kick you out.”

After begrudgingly congratulating Orton, the Broncos celebrated the end to their six-year playoff drought once the Chargers eliminated the Raiders 38-26.

Denver finished 8-8, same as the Raiders and Chargers. They won their first division title since 2005 on a tiebreaker, going 6-6 against common opponents while the others went 5-7.

So, everybody at Mile High got what they wanted even though Tebow couldn’t beat the guy he failed to beat out in training camp.

Orton, who also handed Green Bay its only loss, went 2-1 in Kansas City. His steady play likely raised his stock as he prepares to enter free agency. And he might have secured interim coach Romeo Crennel’s future with the Chiefs (7-9).

Best of all, he beat the team that benched him after he finally caved under the weight of Tebowmania and the Broncos stumbled to a 1-4 start.

Orton had laid low all week but he finally ‘fessed up after the game that this game had special meaning to him even though it was for pride and payback and not the playoffs.

“I can’t hide that,” he said. “But I congratulate those guys. They’re in. I congratulate them and I look forward to next year.”

The Broncos revamped their offense to fit Tebow’s unconventional skill set and surged to the top of their division. They released Orton in the midst of a 7-1 run that included a series of fourth-quarter comebacks that captivated the football world.

Never before in the four-plus decades since the AFL-NFL merger has a starting quarterback returned to start a game in the same season against his former team.

Neither QB had a great day. The game’s only touchdown came on Dexter McCluster’s 21-yard scamper in the first quarter, so this game was as much about the punting Colquitt brothers, Dustin and Britton, as it was about Orton vs. Tebow.

The Broncos got one last shot when they got the ball at their 16 with just under a minute left.

Tebow time? Not this time.

Because Fox had declined to go for a 57-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first half — he was afraid a miss would set up the Chiefs for a double-digit halftime lead — the Broncos had to go 84 yards in 47 seconds instead of just needing to get into range for another game-winner by Matt Prater.

Tebow, who had completed four passes all afternoon with the Broncos running 47 times for 216 yards, including 145 by Willis McGahee, suddenly had to chuck it.

And he was intercepted by cornerback Brandon Carr with 8 seconds left.

Tebow finished 6 of 22 for 60 yards and added 16 yards on six carries.

The Broncos saved $2.6 million by releasing Orton just before Thanksgiving but Orton nearly made them pay an even heftier price for that decision, completing 15 of 29 passes for 180 yards against his former team and connecting with Dwayne Bowe six times for 93 yards before losing him for the second half with a suspected concussion.

“Dwayne was on fire in the first half, and then to lose him for the rest of the game, that really hurt our offense,” Orton said. “I have the utmost respect for Champ Bailey, but Dwayne had him turning around in circles a couple times out there.”

The Broncos lost two offensive starters in the first half when right guard Chris Kuper, the stalwart on an otherwise young line, broke his left leg and fullback Spencer Larsen hurt a knee.

Kuper’s injury made Orton’s day bittersweet, too.

“Chris Kuper is a very good friend of mine and to see what happened to him really put a damper on things,” Orton said. “He’s a great teammate, a great leader on that team and I hope he’s able to get back as soon as possible.”

Had Denver not backed into the playoffs, boss John Elway’s dangerous decision to release Orton at midseason would have gone down as one of the biggest blunders in Broncos history.

And Fox would have been second-guessed for passing up on a 57-yard field goal attempt in the first half even though his kicker is the best in the business from long distance and points were at a premium.

The Broncos finally scored on Prater’s 38-yarder in the third quarter, which followed Javier Arenas’ muffed punt at his own 20.

Coming off the worst game of his career, a four-turnover blunder at Buffalo, Tebow killed Denver’s only promising drive of the first half when he coughed up the football as he was trying to reach across the Chiefs 10-yard line for the first down and linebacker Justin Houston scooped up the loose ball.

In a surreal scene, the Chiefs (7-9) hooted and hollered in their locker room while the playoff-bound Broncos were subdued.

“When we look at our team, we can’t say this is our strength. Everything is mediocre,” Bailey said. “We’ve got to get better. If we want to make any kind of fuss in the playoffs, we’ve got to get better.”

And fast.

“Not the way you want to go in,” Bailey said as he glanced up at the Chargers-Raiders game on TV. “But, hey, we’ve got another shot.”

“Nobody said how you had to get in,” teammate Mario Haggan added. “It’s what you do with the opportunity once you get there.”

— Associated Press —

Western women fall short at Nebraska Omaha, 64-62

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The Missouri Western women are hoping for a happier new year.  The Griffons closed out 2011 with a 64-62  loss at Nebraska Omaha, capping a winless month of December.

Down double digits most of the game, Western mounted a come back in the final minutes, but simply ran out of time.  The Griffons chipped away a 9-point deficit in the final 1:58.  Jessica Koch’s 3-pointer at the buzzer made it a two point game, and marked the closest the Griffons got since the early portion of the first half.

Western was down 15 points, midway through the second half, but UNO went cold down the stretch,  scoring just 4 points in the game’s final 8 minutes, but the Griffons struggled to score themselves, shooting just 29% (18-62) from the floor.

Jessica Koch led Western with 30 points, playing all 40 minutes.  She scored 31 points in the same venue last year.

Alicia Bell added 11 points, 10 rebounds and 4 steals.

Freshman Cathleen Cox led UNO with 23 points on 10-17 shooting.

Western falls to 2-8 overall, and has lost six straight.  UNO improves to 9-5, in this, their first season of NCAA Division 1 play.

The Griffons return home Wednesday, January 4th, where they’ll host rival Northwest Missouri State at the Fieldhouse.   The women tip-off at 5:30 p.m, and the men follow at 7:30 p.m.

— MWSU Sports Information —

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