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Author: Dave Riggert

Benedictine men lose exhibition to UNO

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The Benedictine (Kan.) College men’s basketball took on their second NCAA Div. I opponent on Tuesday night, hosting the University of Nebraska Omaha on the campus of Benedictine.

While UNO earned a 75-49 win to move to 4-6 on the year, the game was an exhibition for Benedictine and doesn’t count against their season record which stands at 5-5.

Nebraska Omaha converted 12 of 20 from beyond the 3-point arc on Tuesday which allowed them to jump out to a 37-21 halftime lead.

Benedictine was forced into 21 turnovers which led to directly to 34 points for the Nebraska Omaha.

The Ravens hit 40 percent from the floor on the night while UNO went 53.7.

Guard Chris McFaul, who earned his second straight start for Benedictine, led the Ravens with 14 points.

While Benedictine did limit UNO leading scorer Mitch Albers to 13 points, six below his season average, they fininshed with three players in double figures. John Ring led the way with 15 points while Mitchell Farr added 14 anchoring a Mavericks bench that scored 40 points.

Benedictine takes off the rest of this week for finals and returns to competition on Dec. 16, hosting a 7 p.m. game against Columbia (Mo.) College.

— BC Sports Information —

Mizzou stays unbeaten with win over Villanova at MSG

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Missouri was No. 25 in the preseason poll. The Tigers have moved up to No. 10 and are playing as though they mean to stay up there.

“The Mizzou brand was on the national scene tonight,” first-year coach Frank Haith said. “And the lights are bright, very bright here in New York. We had an opportunity on national TV against a good team.”

The country should be impressed.

Marcus Denmon had his second straight strong game from 3-point range, this time making six and scoring 28 points in an 81-71 victory over Villanova in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

“There was a lid on the basket for a little while,” Denmon said. “We kept the ball moving and started making some shots.”

The 6-foot-3 senior guard made seven 3s while scoring a career-high 31 points in the Tigers’ last game against Northwestern State. He came into the game averaging 20.6 points and 3.3 3-pointers. On Tuesday, he was 6 of 10 from 3-point range, making all three attempts in the first 7:41 of the second half when Missouri (8-0) opened a 16-point lead.

Ricardo Ratliffe added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Tigers, who last started a season with eight straight wins in 2006-07. Kim English had 15 points for Missouri, which cracked the top 10 this week.

The Tigers shot 42.4 percent from the field (28 of 66), well off the 52.5 percent they were at entering the game, a mark that is fourth nationally.

“We talk about finding ways to win when we don’t shoot the ball well,” Haith said. “I think this is the first night we didn’t shoot the ball well. We played defense and rebounded. Those will be the keys to our success.”

Maalik Wayns had 14 points and freshman Darrun Hilliard added 13 for the Wildcats (5-3), who have lost three of four.

The Wildcats used a 10-0 run capped by a 3 by Dominic Cheek to get within 61-55 with 9:52 left. They got as close as six once more, 68-62 on a rebound basket by JayVaughn Pinkston with 6:01 to play, but the Tigers went on a 7-1 run with Ratliffe, Denmon and English all scoring.

“It’s no surprise at how good a team they were,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “We were trying to scrap and fight to keep it close and steal it at the end. They have so many answers and they are so intelligent. Their guards are good. That is a well-coached team.”

Missouri outscored Villanova 24-8 in fast-break points and that was a credit to point guard Phil Pressey, who had eight points and 12 assists — many when the Tigers took off after grabbing the rebound of a Villanova miss.

“It’s Phil,” Ratliffe said of his point guard, who gave him a behind-the-back pass for a dunk. “He’s got eyes, not only in the back of his head but in the side of his head, everywhere else. As soon as he drives I get my hands ready.”

It was Villanova’s sixth straight loss in a game against a ranked team.

“It’s a 40-minute game and we probably played well for 33 minutes against a great team,” Wayns said. “Those minutes are going to cost you. All you can do is go to practice and try and get better.”

Denmon scored 12 points in the final 9:20 of the first half as Missouri took a 42-29 lead. His 3-pointer with 6:12 left in the first half gave the Tigers the lead for good, 24-21. Villanova managed just eight points over the final 9:20 of the half when Missouri outscored the Wildcats 23-8.

— MU Sports Information —

Robinson, Withey lead Jayhawks past Long Beach State

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Thomas Robinson had a career-high 26 points to go with 11 rebounds, Jeff Withey came within one blocked shot of a triple-double and No. 13 Kansas held off Long Beach State 88-80 on Tuesday night after blowing a big first-half lead.

Connor Teahan also had a career-high 14 points for the Jayhawks (6-2), who established a 19-point lead on the Big West favorites in the first half before sloppy passes, senseless fouls and generally poor shooting allowed Long Beach State to climb back into the game.

The 49ers (4-4), who have already knocked off then-No. 6 Pittsburgh on the road, closed within 77-72 with 3:01 remaining on a 3-pointer and two free throws by James Ennis.

Tyshawn Taylor answered after two offensive rebounds when he was fouled on a scoop layup. The three-point play gave Kansas some breathing room, and Withey added another three-point play moments later to make it 83-72. The Jayhawks managed to drain the remaining time off the clock.

T.J. Robinson had 19 points, and Ennis and Casper Ware each had 16 for the 49ers, who also played then-No. 6 Louisville tough on the road and will visit fourth-ranked North Carolina on Saturday.

Withey finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Taylor — the Jayhawks’ starting point guard — came off the bench because of what a team spokesman called a “coach’s decision” and finished with 12 points. Travis Releford added 10 points despite a poor shooting night.

Early on, it looked as if the Jayhawks would merely be tuning up for Saturday’s date with No. 2 Ohio State at Allen Fieldhouse.

They should have known better: Long Beach State won on the Jayhawks’ home court in their last meeting back in 1993, when Kansas went on to the Final Four under Roy Williams.

Robinson led the Jayhawks on a 16-4 run to start the game, showing that he can score from all over the floor. He made a couple inside to force the Long Beach State defense to collapse on him, and then went outside to knock down a pair of 18-footers just moments apart.

The Jayhawks’ lead ballooned to 34-15 with 9:31 remaining when Robinson scored on consecutive possessions and Teahan knocked down his fourth 3-pointer, but Long Beach State showed off its veteran poise by keeping things from getting out of hand. Edis Dervisevic scored in the paint with 2:31 left in the half, trimming the lead to 41-32 and sending Kansas coach Bill Self tearing into his bench.

That’s when Robinson showed just how versatile he’s become.

First, he took a feed from Kevin Young and powered home a dunk. Then he returned the favor by finding Young, who was fouled on a drive to the basket and converted a three-point play. And then the big fella helped set up a three-point play by Elijah Johnson that capped a scoring flurry.

Kansas wound up with a 51-39 lead at halftime. Robinson was 8 of 8 from the field and perfect on both of his throws to go along with six rebounds, and the Jayhawks shot 58.8 percent as a team.

They didn’t come close to that number in the second half.

The biggest problem was turnovers — the Jayhawks wound up with 22 of them, and it was everyone getting into the act. Nobody in the lineup had more than five, though four different players had at least four, and Long Beach managed to turn several of them into easy baskets.

Just not enough of them in the closing minutes to pull out the win.

— Associated Press —

MWSU tennis adds three student-athletes for next season

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Missouri Western women’s tennis coach Ron Selkirk has announced the signing of three players to the National Letter of Intent for the 2013 season. The Griffons welcome Meara Smith of Kansas City, Kan., Alyssa Dougan a transfer from Trenton, Mo. and Jody Goers of Blue Springs, Mo. to next season’s squad.

Meara Smith of Kansas City, Kan. played her high school tennis at Shawnee Mission East high school. She has lettered in tennis four years and has six siblings that play tennis at the collegiate level. She is undecided on a major at Western.

“Meara has played on the state champion Shawnee Mission East team for the last four years and comes from a family that is one of Kansas City’s premier tennis families,” commented Selkirk.

Alyssa Dougan a transfer from North Central Missouri College played her high school tennis at Trenton high school. In high school she was a four year letter winner winning the District 16 singles championship. She was also an All-News Press first team selection. She finished with 82 career singles victories and 110 career victories in both singles and doubles. During her senior season she was 27-7 in singles and 9-1 in doubles matches. She is a very good student who plans on majoring in business management at Western.

“Alyssa was a dominate player in northwest Missouri high school girls tennis for two years and will bring experience and depth to our team,” said Selkirk.

Jody Goers of Blue Springs, Mo. played her high school tennis at Blue Spring high school. She has lettered one season being named her team’s most improved player. She won eight matches a season ago. She is a member of the National Honor Society and lettered in academics. She plans on majoring in biology/health sciences at Western.

“Jody is an up and coming player whose game has really grown over the last year and is very determined to continue that improvement at the university level,” stated Selkirk.

“I am extremely pleased to have these three quality players committed to play at Missouri Western,” commented Coach Selkirk.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Snyder named AP Big 12 Coach of the Year

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Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder was named the 2011 Associated Press Big 12 Coach of the Year today after leading the Wildcats to a 10-2 record in the regular season and a No. 8 ranking in the final regular season BCS standings.

Snyder, currently the 11th-winningest active coach among FBS schools, was selected on 16 of the 17 ballots turned in by media members who regularly cover the league. The Wildcats, which headed into the 2011 season with nine first-year starters, were picked to finish eighth in the Big 12 preseason race and have won a nation-leading eight games this season by seven points or less and 10 games in a season for the first time since 2003.

“I am extremely proud of our coaches and the young men in our program for working and preparing each day to get better,” said Snyder. “The success we have had to this point in the season has been a direct result of that, and I appreciate very much their willingness to work and achieve the goals that we set out each day to accomplish.”

The 2011 Woody Hayes National Coach of the Year honoree, and finalist for the Liberty Mutual and Eddie Robinson national coach of the year awards, Snyder was named the 32nd head football coach at Kansas State on Nov. 30, 1988, and again as the 34th on Nov. 24 2008. He has amassed a 159-82-1 (.659) record during his 20-year tenure with the Wildcats, including an 89-64-1 (.581) mark in Big 8/12 games, and currently ranks fourth among active coaches with 150 or more wins at FBS schools since 1990.

A two-time national coach of the year selection and three-time Big 12 coach of the year pick, Snyder’s 159 victories are more than triple the man in second place on K-State’s all-time coaching victories list, while the legendary head coach has led the program to 13 bowl games, which included 11 straight from 1993-2003 and back-to-back appearances in 2010 and 2011.

No. 8 Kansas State faces No. 6 Arkansas in the 2012 AT&T Cotton Bowl on January 6 as the two teams will square off in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

— KSU Sports Information —

“Night Out on the Griffs” set for this Friday

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An annual holiday tradition is set for this Friday, December 9 from 6 – 9 PM in the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex as the Missouri Western Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will host “Night Out On the Griffs.”

Night Out On The Griffs is a FREE event held each year for area youth in grades K thru 4 and provides an evening of high energy, fun games and activities with Griffon student-athletes while parents enjoy a night away from the kids during the holiday season.  Parents are asked to dress their children in game clothing and tennis shoes.

Last year over 100 area youth took part with over 100 Griffon student-athletes from all sports.  The event has also been recognized nationally by the NCAA as the regional community engagement activity of the year.

To RSVP or for more information, contact Griffon Athletics at 271-4481.  Age exceptions will be made for those families that have children within close proximity of the limit listed above.

— MWSU Sports Information —

KSU’s Snyder named Woody Hayes Award recipient

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Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder was named the recipient of the 2011 Woody Hayes Award, which is presented to the College Football Coach of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus.

Additionally, Snyder was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the Coach of the Year by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). Snyder joined Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Brady Hoke (Michigan), Les Miles (LSU) and Dabo Sweeney (Clemson) as finalists for the award.

The Touchdown Club of Columbus unanimously selected Snyder for the Woody Hayes Awards based upon the Wildcats 10-2 season and No. 8 ranking in the final BCS ranking, in addition to his integrity to the game and student-athletes.

This season marks the fourth time that Snyder has been named a finalist for the FWAA top coaching honor. This year’s winner will be announced Dec. 15 after balloting by the entire FWAA membership. The FWAA and the Fiesta Bowl will host a special reception on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, in New Orleans to honor the winner and present him with the trophy, a bust of Eddie Robinson.

Snyder, currently the 11th-winningest active coach among FBS schools, led Kansas State a second-place Big 12 finish after being picked to eighth in the Big 12 preseason race. The Wildcats, which headed into the 2011 season with nine first-year starters, have won a nation-leading eight games this season by seven points or less and 10 games in a season for the first time since 2003.

Named the 32nd head football coach at Kansas State on Nov. 30, 1988, and again as the 34th on Nov. 24, 2008, Snyder has amassed a 159-82-1 (.659) record during his 20-year tenure with the Wildcats, including an 89-64-1 (.581) mark in Big 8/12 games, and currently ranks fourth among active coaches with 150 or more wins at FBS schools since 1990.

A two-time national coach of the year selection, Snyder’s 159 victories are more than triple the man in second place on K-State’s all-time coaching victories list, while the legendary head coach has led the program to 13 bowl games, which included 11 straight from 1993-2003 and back-to-back appearances in 2010 and 2011.

— KSU Sports Information —

Nebraska’s David named First-Team All-American

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Nebraska senior linebacker Lavonte David has joined elite company in Cornhusker history, being named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association on Monday.

The 6-1, 225-pound David has led Nebraska in tackles the past two seasons and become one of the top five tacklers in school history despite playing just two seasons as a Husker. David is the 96th first-team All-American in Nebraska history, and when including 14 two-time selections, David gives Nebraska 110 all-time first-team All-America picks.

David is joined at linebacker by Georgia sophomore Jarvis Jones and Alabama junior Dont’a Hightower. David is one of six Big Ten players named to the AFCA All-America team and gives Nebraska an AFCA first-team selection for the third consecutive year, joining Ndamukong Suh in 2009 and Prince Amukamara in 2010. Overall, Nebraska has had a total of 46 players earn 51 overall first-team AFCA All-America honors.

A finalist for the Butkus Award and the winner of Big Ten Linebacker-of-the-Year honors, David finished the regular season with a team-leading 122 tackles. He had five games with double-figure tackle totals, including four in Big Ten play. David also led Nebraska with two interceptions, two fumbles caused, two fumble recoveries and 11 tackles for loss, while ranking second on the team with 3.5 sacks.

David has led Nebraska in tackles seven times in 2011, and 14 times in 26 career games at Nebraska. His 274 career tackles are fifth in school history, while his 122 tackles this season rank 10th on NU’s single-season list. Last season, David registered a school-record 152 tackles and was a second-team All-America pick by the Associated Press.

— NU Sports Information —

Kansas State’s Cantele earns Big 12 honor

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Kansas State junior place kicker Anthony Cantele was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. It was Cantele’s third weekly honor this season and the fourth of his career.

The honor by Cantele was also the ninth by the Wildcats this year, tying the school record originally set by the 1999 squad.

Cantele nailed all three of his field goal attempts in No. 11 Kansas State’s 30-23 win over Iowa State, marking the third time this season he has made three field goals in a game. The junior connected on a 37-yarder in the second quarter, a 47-yard attempt in the third quarter and a 19-yarder in the fourth quarter.

For the season, Cantele is 17-of-22 on field goals and is 10-of-14 in the 30-49-yard range. He is tied for fifth in school history for field goals made in a season and fifth for field goals attempted in a season.

Kansas State finished the regular season with a 10-2 record, including a 7-2 Big 12 mark to finish second in the conference and eighth in the final BCS standings.

The Wildcats were rewarded for their successful season by accepting an invitational to play in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic on Jan. 6, 2012, against No. 6 Arkansas. The game, which will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will be televised nationally by FOX beginning at 7 p.m. (CT).

— KSU Sports Information —

Chiefs hang on against Chicago to snap 4-game skid

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Tyler Palko got yanked from the game — and possibly saved his job. He wasn’t making any bold proclamations, though.

Palko shook off two miserable starts and threw for 157 yards and a touchdown even though he was briefly lifted for Kyle Orton, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat Chicago 10-3 Sunday on a day when the Bears lost Matt Forte to a sprained right knee.

“No one likes to get taken out, but at the end of the day, it’s the coach’s decision and you’ve got to roll with the punches,” Palko said. “(Coach Todd Haley) indicated earlier in the week by any means necessary, we need to get a win.”

The Chiefs got one, and their four-game losing streak ended.

The quarterback debate?

Well, that might not be over, but Palko can at least say he made a strong case.

“You have to earn the right to put your hands underneath center,” he said. “If that’s a week-by-week basis, then that’s how it’s going to be. I’m not the coach, and I don’t handle those decisions.”

He might get some more time, considering Orton took just one snap at the start of the second quarter and left the game after injuring his right index finger.

Haley said he doesn’t “really have much to give you” when asked about the injury.

Palko gave him enough, though. He connected with Dexter McCluster on a wild 38-yard pass to end the first half on a ball that got deflected by Brian Urlacher and Chris Conte, giving the Chiefs a 7-3 lead and their first touchdown in three games.

Kansas City (5-7) got a 21-yard field goal from Ryan Succop in the third quarter to make it a seven-point game, and Jon McGraw intercepted struggling backup Caleb Hanie in the end zone in the fourth.

The Chiefs also recorded seven sacks — three by Justin Houston — and intercepted Hanie three times.

The Bears (7-5) dropped their second straight after winning five in a row, but the biggest loss Sunday came in the first quarter.

Forte took a hit to the right knee from Derrick Johnson on a run for no gain deep in Chicago territory with 6 minutes left in the period, another big blow for a team contending in the NFC.

Quarterback Jay Cutler was already out indefinitely after breaking his right thumb against San Diego on Nov. 20, and now Chicago might have to make do without the league’s third-leading rusher.

“It’s not a good feeling when you see your star tailback go down with a knee injury,” coach Lovie Smith said. “Part of the game. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed and hopefully it’s not that serious.”

In the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, Forte has been one of the Bears’ most valuable players. He has also been durable during his career, starting all 60 games since he entered the league in 2008, but that run could be in jeopardy.

Forte stayed on the ground while being examined by medical personnel and walked to the sideline under his own power after that hit to the knee. He remained there for several minutes before heading to the locker room.

Orton, a former Bear, didn’t last long in this one.

On his first play since he was claimed off waivers from Denver, he was hit in the hand by Major Wright as he tossed an incomplete pass.

Palko came back in and wound up completing 17 of 30 passes without an interception. It was a big improvement for a quarterback who got picked off three times in each of his first two starts after Matt Cassel suffered a season-ending hand injury.

“I really thought Tyler did a great job today,” Orton said. “He’s been through a lot. It’s great to see a guy get his chance and take advantage of it.”

Hanie might be blowing his opportunity, though.

“Don’t blame one guy for this loss,” Smith said. “We all had a big say in what happened today.”

Hanie did nothing to quiet the calls for the Bears to go after Donovan McNabb, completing 11 of 24 passes in his second start for Cutler. Besides getting sacked seven times against a team that came in with just 13, he threw three interceptions for the second straight week, and whatever chance the Bears had, basically disappeared when he got picked off in the end zone.

Hanie had completed four straight passes to put the ball on the Chicago 13 after connecting on just one in the second half when Roy Williams juggled a throw. The ball hit off several defenders before a diving McGraw picked it off in the end zone with just over 4 minutes left.

“Obviously, the production wasn’t there,” Hanie said. “Three points is not good enough. I’ve just got to do a better job getting us in the right position and getting the ball to our guys.”

— Associated Press —

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