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Author: Dave Riggert

K-State knocks off No. 16 seed UMBC 50-43 to advance to Sweet 16

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Barry Brown scored 18 points, and Kansas State ended UMBC’s brief, but historic run in the NCAA Tournament with a 50-43 victory on Sunday night.

UMBC became the first 16 seed to beat a No. 1, destroying top-ranked Virginia 74-54 on Friday night. After pulling off the biggest upset in college basketball history, the Retrievers ran out of magic against the Wildcats.

As UMBC coach Ryan Odom emptied his bench with 9.4 seconds left, the crowd gave the Retrievers a standing ovation. The players hugged at midcourt. After the game ended, players walked over to the side of the court and gave their fans an appreciative wave.

The dream had ended.

The Wildcats (24-11) move on to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010 when they lost in the Elite Eight to Butler. They will face Kentucky on Thursday night.

UMBC had only had two field goals in the final six minutes and shot just 29.8 percent for the game.

UMBC’s scrappy defense forced 18 turnovers, but managed just three points off those. They finished 6 of 22 from 3-point range two nights after lighting up Virginia. And 9 of 18 from the free throw line.

UMBC (25-11) had a chance to take the lead with 5 minutes remaining, but Arkel Lamar was stripped of the ball on a drive to the lane and Xavier Sneed took the ball the length of the floor for a two-handed dunk.

Brown then hit a fall-away jumper.

Sneed, who had eight points, had a monster dunk off an offensive rebound and later knocked down a baseline jumper with a minute left to push the lead to five. Makol Mawien added a dunk on a fastbreak to seal the victory with 45 seconds left.

The Retrievers showed no sign of a letdown early on, jumping out to a 7-0 lead after Kansas State missed its first eight shots — five of those from beyond the arc.

Kansas State didn’t score until the 13:40 mark of the first half, but the Wildcats closed the half on a 17-8 run and led 25-20 at the break despite going 0 for 8 from 3-point range.

BIG PICTURE

UMBC: Chances are people will one day have to Google who won the 2018 NCAA Tournament, but they’ll never forget what Jairus Lyles and the Retrievers pulled off in Charlotte.

Kansas State: Brown defended Lyles extremely well, holding him to 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting. The Wildcats held a 35-28 edge on the boards.

UP NEXT

Kansas State: Will face fourth-seeded Kentucky on Thursday in Atlanta.

— Associated Press —

Bearcats get swept at Lindenwood

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The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team lost both games of their double header against Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo.

The Bearcats fall to 12-11 overall, 8-4 in conference, while the Lions improve to 12-11 overall and 5-7 in conference play.
Game One Key Statistics (Northwest 7, Lindenwood 9)
– Northwest scored one in the first, one in the third, two in the fifth, one in the seventh and two in the eighth inning. The Lions scored one in the first, five in the second and three in the fifth inning.
– The Bearcats had seven runs on 11 hits with two errors. Lindenwood had nine runs on 14 hits with no errors.
– Landon Figg went a perfect 3-for-3 in the first game with two walks, two runs scored, two doubles and two RBIs.
– Hudson Bilodeau finished 2-for-3 he drew two walks, scored three runs and had a double.
– Kevin Handzlik was 2-for-5 with one RBI and a double.
– Aaron Barratt went 2-for-4 with one run scored, one RBI, a double, one stolen base and a homerun.
– Luke Wilkinson was 1-for-2.
– Mondesi Gutierrez went 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a double.

Game One Key Innings
– Bilodeua started the scoring for the Bearcats when he drew a one out walk and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch. Figg would then hit a double to left center to score Bilodeua and give the Bearcats the first run on the board.

– After two outs, Bilodeua hit a double to right field and came around to score when Figg hit a double to right center to conclude the scoring for the Bearcats.

– Bilodeua, Figg, and Luke Hassman started the top of the fifth inning when the reached base on a single and two walks. Gutierrez would hit a one out double down the right field line to score Bilodeua and Figg.

– With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Barratt sent a solo homerun over the left center fence.

– Wilkinson got the eighth inning going when he hit a single to left field and Tim Olson came in to run for him. Figg and Hassman both drew walks to load the bases and advanced on a wild pitch while Olson scored on the play. Handzlik then hit a single to the shortstop to score Figg and to conclude the scoring for the Bearcats.
Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 2, Lindenwood 7)
– The Bearcats scored scored two runs in the sixth inning. Lindenwood scored three runs in the first, two in the second and two in the fourth.
– Northwest had two runs on six hits with one error. The Lions scored seven runs on 15 hits with one error.
– Barratt finished the day going 2-for-4 with one run scored, a double and a stolen base.
– Logan Rycraft went 1-for-3 with one RBI and drew two walks.
– Figg was 1-for-4 with a walk and one stolen base.
– Handzlik finished 1-for-4.
– Derek Hussey went 1-for-3 with one RBI and a sacrifice fly.
– Gutierrez was hit by a pitch and scored one run.

Game Two Key Innings
– Gutierrez was hit by a pitch and Barratt reached safely on an error to start the sixth inning. The runners advanced on a fly out and Hussey hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Gutierrez. Rycraft singled through the right side of the field to score Barratt and concluded the scoring for the Bearcats.
Up Next
– Northwest will take on Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday, March 20, at 2 p.m. in Kearney, Nebraska.

— Northwest Athletics —

MWSU softball wins final two games of Hy-Vee Classic

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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Softball (10-17) got its first home sweep of the season, defeating Upper Iowa (13-6) and Concordia, St. Paul (14-7) on the final day of the 2018 Hy-Vee Classic.

Missouri Western got two solid pitching performances from Kenzie Hilzer and Kaili Hinds to get double-digit wins. Both pitchers registered complete game wins with four strikeouts each. Upper Iowa struck first in game one, scoring two in the third, but MWSU answered with four runs in the bottom half of the third and never trailed again. The Griffons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on Concordia, St. Paul, but fell behind 3-2 after a two-run top of the fifth by the Golden Bears. Missouri Western answered again, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth and hanging on for the 5-3 win.

NOTABLES
– Shelbie Atwell went 4-for-7 with four RBIs and two runs scored

– Morgan Frost also went 4-for-7, scoring one run and driving in three

– The Griffons out-hit their opponents 16-12 and had five doubles to three for their opponents

– Hilzer and Hinds combined to allow 12 hits over 14 innings

– The two pitchers combined for five walks while the Griffons walked five times themselves

– Shelby Uhl had two more hits, Sunday, with her season average now up to .418

UP NEXT
The Griffons stay out of conference play, hosting Rockhurst in a doubleheader on March 21 at 4 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

No. 24 Missouri baseball loses finale at No. 16 LSU 7-5

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BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 24 Mizzou Baseball dropped the rubber game of a three-game series, 7-5, vs. No. 16 LSU Sunday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium. Mizzou scored two runs in the first inning, but LSU scored single runs in each of the first three innings before putting the game away with a three-run sixth inning. Mizzou falls to 15-5 (1-2 SEC) on the year while LSU improves to 14-7 (2-1 SEC).

Mizzou senior RHP Andy Toelken (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on six hits over the first 3.0 innings. LSU starter Ma’Khail Hillard earned the win after striking out a career-high six Mizzou batters over 6.0 innings, scattering six hits with a walk.

Mizzou threatened in the ninth inning, getting three runs on Kameron Misner’s (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) fourth homer of the season, cutting the lead to 7-5. But LSU’s Austin Bain got the final two outs of the frame to seal the win.

TURNING POINT
Freshman RHP Konnor Ash (Plainfield, Ill.) came in and settled things down nicely after LSU scored a run in each of the first three innings. He kept Mizzou within striking distance at 3-2 until a leadoff walk in the sixth inning. LSU then got a walk and three straight singles off reliever LHP T.J. Sikkema (DeWitt, Iowa) to extend the lead to 6-2, putting the game out of reach for Mizzou.

TOP TIGERS
– Senior OF Trey Harris tallied three hits from the leadoff spot, also walking and scoring run. He now leads the team with four three-hit games this season.

– Freshman DH Chad McDaniel had two hits with an RBI in the first inning.

– Sophomore CF Kameron Misner hit a three-run, ninth inning homer to cut the lead to 7-5. It was his team-leading fourth.

NOTES
– Mizzou now trails the all-time series with LSU, 14-1.

– Mizzou is now 24-15 away from home under second-year head coach Steve Bieser.

– Mizzou is now 9-3 in three-game series this season.

– Mizzou falls to 2-2 on Sundays this season.

– Mizzou falls to 3-2 this season vs. ranked opponents.

– Mizzou is now 9-9 during the opening weekend of SEC play since joining the league in 2013.

– Mizzou had its first rain delay since April 30, 2017, vs. Texas A&M. Sunday’s game was delayed by 62 minutes following a rain shower minutes before first pitch.

– Senior OF Trey Harris singled in the first inning and tallied a first-inning hit in every game of the three-game set vs. LSU. He posted his eighth multi-hit game of the year Sunday.

– Mizzou snapped a 17.2 shutout inning streak by LSU starter Ma’Khail Hilliard with two runs in the top of the first inning. Mizzou has scored in the first inning in nine of the last 11 games.

– Freshman DH Chad McDaniel tallied his second career multi-hit game Sunday, posting a pair of singles in his first two at-bats.

UP NEXT
Mizzou will return home for a five-game homestand, beginning Tuesday with a 6:30 p.m. game vs. Arkansas State

— Mizzou Athletics —

Northwest softball defeats Wayne State & Northern State Sunday

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The Northwest Missouri State University softball team swept their last two games of their two day tournament.

The Bearcats finish the weekend 11-9 and will continue conference play next weekend against UCO and Northeastern State.

Game One Key Statistics (Northwest 13, Wayne State 6)
– Northwest scored six in the fourth, two in the fifth and five in the sixth inning. The Wildcats scored two in the second and four in the fifth inning.
– The Bearcats had 13 runs on 13 hits and two errors.Wayne State scored six runs on ten hits and had four errors.
– Kiana Baderdeen completed the first game going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, a double, a stolen base and she scored one run.
– Rebecca Maher went 2-for-4 with one run scored, a double, a triple and two RBIs.
– Kenzi Sutton was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI.
– Kailey Siemonsma went 2-for-4 with one run scored and she had two RBIs.
– Jaedra Moses was 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored.
– Jessica Rawie finished 1-for-2 with three runs scored,drew two walks, hit one homerun and had two RBIs.
– Abigail Gilson went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI.
– Regan Thompson got the win after she threw 2.2 innings allowed three hits and only one earned run.

Game One Key Innings
– After an out, Rawie and Gilson got the inning started when they both drew walks and Allen reached base on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Siemonsma hit the first run in with a single to left center to score Rawie and move all the runners up. Sutton came in to pinch run for Allen. Baderdeen kept the hitting going with a single to left center to score Gilson and Sutton and advanced Siemonsma to third. Maher would get two RBIs on her double to right center to score Siemonsma and Baderdeen. Moses would then hit a single to left center to score Maher and to conclude the scoring and give the Bearcats the lead, 6-3.

– Keeney started the inning with a leadoff walk and Lynnlee Parrott came in to pinch run. Rawie would give the Bearcats the lead with a two-run homerun over the left center fence to make it 8-6.

– Moses reached on a fielder’s choice to start the rally for the Bearcats in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kaitlyn Weis would then reach on an error to put runners at the corners. Keeney sent a hard single up the middle to score Moses from third and put Weis on third. Rawie reached base on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on Gilson’s single up the middle and to score Weis. Sutton kept the hitting going by sending a hard single up the middle to score Rawie. Siemonsma singled through the left side to score Gilson.

Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 6, Northern State 0)
– The Bearcats scored one run in the first, two in the fourth and three in the fifth inning.
– Northwest had six runs on eight hits and one error. The Wolves had zero runs on four hits and had one error.
– Moses finished the day going 2-for-3 and one run scored.
– Weis finished going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBIs and two homeruns.
– Keeney went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, one run scored, a double and a homerun.
– Gilson went 1-for-3.
– Baderdeen was 1-for-2 and one run scored.
– Rachel Smith threw seven shut out innings, she struck out eight batters and allowed four hits.

Game Two Key Innings
– Weis reached base on a fielder’s choice with two outs and then came around to score on Keeney’s double to the left center gap to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.

– To start the fourth inning, Weis hit a solo homerun over the right field fence and Keeney followed it up with her own solo shot to deep center field to make the score, 3-0.

– Baderdeen lead off the inning with a single to right field and after an out Moses hit a sharp single through the left side to put two runners on. Weis would then send her second homerun of the day over the left center fence.
Up Next
– Northwest will play on Friday, March 23, against the University of Central Oklahoma in Maryville, Mo., at 1 pm.

— Northwest Athletics —

Griffons extend win streak to seven games with 6-4 win at Southwest Baptist

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BOLIVAR, Mo. – Griffon Baseball (12-9, 5-3), rallied to stretch its win streak to seven games with a 6-4 win at Southwest Baptist (8-15, 2-9) in 10 innings.

Dusty Stroup’s RBI-single in the 10th proved to be the game winner. Brooks Day scored on a wild pitch to provide another insurance run and to cap the Griffons’ rally from a 4-1 deficit.

Southwest Baptist took a 4-1 lead to the fourth before Missouri Western scored three to tie the game in the top of the fourth. Levi Abrahmson and Kellan Richards combined to keep the Bearcats off the scoreboard the rest of the way, allowing just one hit over the final six innings of the game. Abrahamson picked up his first win of the season and Richards got the save.

Maurice Bruce was 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and a run. Stroup had two hits, going 2-for-6.

UP NEXT
Missouri Western goes for its second straight MIAA sweep on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Bolivar.

— MWSU Athletics —

Kansas holds off Seton Hall 83-79 to reach Sweet 16

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Udoka Azubuike had practiced once in the last 11 days because of a lingering knee injury, and the mammoth Kansas forward’s three-minute stretch in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament was about as underwhelming as his herky-jerky free-throw stroke.

He managed to go 22 minutes against Seton Hall on Saturday night.

The Jayhawks needed all of them.

Azubuike stood toe-to-toe with the Pirates’ bruising Angel Delgado, and he drew enough attention on offense to spring his high-scoring guards for open looks. The result was a 28-point performance from teammate Malik Newman, 16 more from Svi Mykhailiuk, and a gritty 83-79 victory that pushed the top-seeded Jayhawks to their third consecutive Sweet 16.

“If `Doke wasn’t able to come back from his injury, we don’t win,” coach Bill Self said. “I was hoping for 20 minutes. That was what I was hoping. And he could have played more.”

Lagerald Vick added 13 points for Kansas (29-7), which converted every crucial play down the stretch to advance to the semifinals of the Midwest Region. The Jayhawks will face the winner of Sunday night’s game between Auburn and Clemson next week in Omaha, Nebraska.

Delgado finished with 24 points and 23 rebounds in a virtuoso effort for the No. 8 seed Pirates (22-11), who snapped a four-game NCAA Tournament skid in the opening round. But he was less effective when Azubuike was in the game, a matchup that often sounded like battleships colliding.

“It stinks, basically, to leave like this,” Delgado said, “because we had so much expectation. We wanted to win every game, be the best team in the tournament.”

Khadeen Carrington finished with 28 points, many of them on 3-pointers in the closing minutes, and Myles Powell added 14 as the pair of guards tried in vain to keep Seton Hall alive.

It was 71-66 with 53 seconds left when Devonte Graham made two free throws for Kansas. Carrington kept answering for the Pirates, but the Jayhawks were unflappable at the foul line.

“I think it was the four-minute timeout, Coach told us in the huddle we were in the bonus. Just get down there, keep getting fouls,” said Newman, the MVP of last week’s Big 12 Tournament. “I was able to hit them quick and I was able to get to the line and make my free throws.”

Kansas led just 31-26 at halftime, when Delgado had already piled up 12 points and 12 rebounds, and was forced to make some significant adjustments in the locker room.

On defense, Self called for double-teams on Delgado whenever he got the ball down low, especially when Azubuike was sitting on the bench. On offense, he had his guys throw it to Azubuike on the block or rely on Mykhailiuk — by nature a 3-point specialist — to slash to the basket.

Together, they helped the Jayhawks stretch their lead to double digits.

Delgado kept the Pirates in the game, though. Azubuike went to the bench with four fouls with about 9 minutes left, and coach Kevin Willard instructed his own guys to go right back to their center.

Delgado was so effective that Self gambled by putting `Doke right back in the game.

“He was the best player in the game,” Self said. “He was a man. We knew he was good. And not having Doke in there more hurt us, because physically he was able to get the best of us.”

Seton Hall closed to 63-59 with 3:22 to go, but Newman answered with a 3-pointer and a pair of foul shots, and the poised Jayhawks never allowed the Pirates to come all the way back.

“I thought it was an extremely well-played game,” Willard said. “I thought the kids left everything on the floor for both teams. I’m proud of the way my guys kept fighting back. You just have to give Kansas credit. They made a lot of big shots late.”

SELF’S RECORD

Self improved to 35-13 in the NCAA Tournament with Kansas, highlighted by a national title in 2008. That breaks a tie with his predecessor and current North Carolina coach Roy Williams for the most tourney wins in school history. Williams was 34-14 with the Jayhawks.

BIG PICTURE

Seton Hall was often rattled by a crowd that gave Kansas a hometown advantage. The game was played about 2 hours south of the Jayhawks’ campus in Lawrence, and about 90 percent of the 15,000-plus at Intrust Bank Arena cheered on the home-state school.

Kansas survived without much production from Graham, who scored 29 against Pennsylvania in the first round. He took a wicked shot to the head from a teammate late in the first half, and wound up with eight points on 1-for-7 shooting.

UP NEXT

The Jayhawks are headed to Omaha for the regional semifinals. They’ll play the winner of Sunday night’s matchup between fourth-seeded Auburn and No. 5 seed Clemson.

— Associated Press —

Bearcats score ten unanswered runs to rally past Lindenwood

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The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team defeats Lindenwood in late inning rally in St. Charles, Mo.

The Bearcats improve to 12-9 overall and 8-2 in conference while the Lions fall to 10-11 overall and 3-7 in conference play.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored three runs in the sixth, two in the eighth and five in the ninth inning. The Lions scored two in the third and four in the fourth inning.
– The Bearcats had ten runs on 15 hits with one error. Lindenwood had six runs on 11 hits with two errors.
– Landon Figg finished the day going 3-for-5 with three runs scored.
– Luke Hassman finished going 3-for-5 with three RBIs,scored two runs and hit a homerun.
– Kevin Handzlik went 3-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored.
– Mondesi Gutierrez was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and he scored one run.
– Aaron Barratt went 2-for-4 with one run scored and a sacrifice hit.
– Matt Schingel was 2-for-5 with two RBIs.

Key Northwest Innings
– After two outs, Figg started the rally for the Bearcats with a single through right side. Hassman would then send a two run homerun over the left field fence to put the Bearcats on the board. Handzlik kept the rally going by hitting a single up the middle and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Gutierrez would reach first safely on a throwing error and Handzlik would come in to score from second.

– In the top of the eighth inning, Figg got the Bearcats rolling again with a single to right center and Hassman followed it up with a single to center field. Handzlik would then hit a single to right field to score Figg and move Hassman to third. Gutierrez kept the hits going by hitting a single through the left side to score Hassman to conclude the scoring for the Bearcats.

– To start the top of the ninth, Hrdlicka walked and Tim Olson came in to pinch run. Figg singled to right field and Olson would advance to third on a throwing error. Hassman came up with a one out single through the left side score Olson and advance Figg to second. Gutierrez singled through the right side to score Figg and give Bearcats the lead. Derek Hussey came in to run for Hassman and quickly advanced to third on Barratt’s single to third base to load the bases. Barratt and Gutierrez both advanced on a wild pitch while Hussey would score from third. Schingel completed the scoring for the Bearcats when he hit a single to right field to score Gutierrez and Barratt to make the score 10-6.

Up Next
– Northwest will take on Lindenwood on Saturday, March 18, at 1 p.m. in St. Charles, Mo.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri Western softball splits doubleheader as Uhl hits for the cycle

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ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Softball (8-17) split a pair of regional games on Saturday to open the 2018 Hy-Vee Classic.

Shelby Uhl hit for the cycle and walked once in an 18-2 run-rule win over Wayne State College (6-10) to help the Griffons rebound from a 9-8 loss to Northern State (10-7), Saturday morning.

Uhl didn’t wasted anytime getting to her historic accomplishment, leading off the game with a solo home run to left field. It was the first of six RBIs in the game for Uhl, who also singled in the first. Her triple came in the third inning and she completed the cycle in the fourth with an RBI-double up the middle.

In the game, Uhl was 4-for-4 with six RBIs, three runs scored and a walk. Shelbie Atwell went 2-for-3 against Wayne State with three runs, three RBIs and two walks. On the day, Uhl was 6-for-7 with eight RBIs, six runs and two walks. Atwell was 3-for-5 on the day with five runs and four walks. Morgan Froast hit two doubles and drove in five with a 3-for-5 day at the plate.

Missouri Western just missed sweeping the day. The Griffons led Northern State 6-1 after two innings and 7-4 after four. Northern State scored four runs in the fifth to take an 8-7 lead, but Missouri Western tied it in the bottom of the fifth. Another Northern State run in the sixth was the dagger.

UP NEXT
Missouri Western hosts two more NSIC competitors on Sunday, opening with Upper Iowa at 10 a.m. before taking on Concordia, St. Paul at approximately noon.

— MWSU Athletics —

5th-seeded Mizzou women get upset by Florida Gulf Coast 80-70

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STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Hands on her knees, China Dow watched intently as the clock ticked down. Finally, she could let out all the emotion and exuberance and began hugging everyone in sight.

The Florida Gulf Coast senior then skipped across the court in Maples Pavilion screaming in delight while waving her arms toward the fittingly green-clad crowd on St. Patrick’s Day.

For the Eagles, the gold was their all-out grit.

Dow scored 21 points and played stingy defense in the paint against Missouri star Sophie Cunningham, and No. 12 seed Florida Gulf Coast pulled off an upset in the Lexington Regional with an 80-70 win Saturday against the fifth-seeded Tigers.

“We’re just putting our name on the map to let people know we are not just a soft, mid-major team,” Dow said. “We can compete with the best of the best.”

Cunningham took over on the low block to get Missouri (24-8) going and scored a season-high 35 points — most by a Tigers player in an NCAA tournament game — and made 14 of 16 free throws. But she didn’t get much help.

Dow made two free throws with 1:12 left as the Eagles kept pushing until the final buzzer to run their winning streak to 11 games with a 21st victory in the last 22 games.

Florida Gulf Coast (31-4) will play Monday against No. 4 seed Stanford (23-10), an 82-68 winner against 13th-seeded Gonzaga in Saturday’s second game. Hall of Fame Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer will face Eagles coach Karl Smesko after VanDerveer won her 900th career game against him at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in November 2013.

Leading scorer Rose Julien — averaging 13.4 points — added 12 points for Florida Gulf Coast, which is in the NCAA tournament for the fifth time in seven years with Division I postseason eligibility and won an NCAA game for the first time since beating Oklahoma State in 2015.

The scrappy Eagles stayed within 36-32 on rebounds to Missouri without having a single 6-footer on the roster.

“It’s an upset in terms of seeding, but we definitely came in with the mindset that this was a game we can win if we executed at a high level,” Smesko said.

Lauren Aldridge’s 3-pointer with 2:13 left in the third cut FGCU’s lead to 54-50 then Tytionia Adderly immediately hit from deep on the other end and the Eagles led 61-53 going into the fourth.

Florida Gulf Coast didn’t immediately get the kind of 3-point looks it is so used to, but the Eagles patiently kept pushing the ball in transition and drove to the basket and kicked out to start creating those crucial open looks from deep.

Mizzou won its SEC Tournament opener and earned a third straight NCAA berth, the first time the program has done so since 1984-86, but missed out on earning at least one victory in three straight tournaments for the first time in school history.

Florida Gulf Coast got key minutes off the bench from Jessica Cattani, who hit two quick 3-pointers during an 8-3 second-quarter run, then Cunningham converted back-to-back layups for Missouri. Cattani finished with 10 points.

Late in the second after Dow hit a 3-pointer on the other end then pounded with Cunningham inside and other FGCU defenders swarmed, Cunningham still was able to find a way to almost underhand the ball up and into the hoop. Dow hit another 3 the next time down and her team led 41-32 at halftime.

HEIGHT ADVANTAGE

Even with a big performance, Cunningham expected more of herself given her height advantage.

She shot 10 for 16 but also committed five of her team’s 16 turnovers.

“Very good defensive team. We just need to value the ball more,” Cunningham said. “They did push us out farther than we wanted to, credit to them.”

BIG PICTURE

Florida Gulf Coast: The Eagles converted just 23 of 37 free throws, probably something that will be a focus going into the second round Monday. … FGCU missed its first four shots before Nasrin Ulel’s driving layup at the 7:36 mark of the first quarter. … The Atlantic Sun Conference champions use the hashtag “RAININGTHREES” as a catchphrase for their 3-point prowess. They have made 414 3s this season, 10 off Sacramento State’s single-season record of 424 set in 2014-15.

Missouri: The Tigers shot 4 for 24 on 3s. … Cunningham notched her 13th game this season with at least 20 points. … Jordan Frericks had two early blocked shots to help the Tigers establish their defense in the paint and on the perimeter.

— Associated Press —

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