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Author: Dave Riggert

All-MIAA awards handed out for men’s basketball; Pitts named Player of the Year

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Kansas City, Mo. – Northwest Missouri’s Justin Pitts has been named the MIAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year for the third straight season. Jeff Boschee, who led Missouri Southern to a second-place regular season finish has been named the league’s Coach of the Year as the teams were announced today.

Pitts finished the regular season averaging 18.8 points per game in MIAA play, good for second-best in the league. The MIAA scoring leader at 21.8 points per game was Nebraska-Kearney’s Trey Lansman, who is making his second-straight appearance on the first team.

Washburn’s Brady Skeens was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, as well as All-MIAA first team, for the second straight season. Skeens wrapped up the regular season leading the league in rebounding (11.1 per game), field goal percentage (.712) and blocked shots (2.4 per game ), while averaging 15.2 points per game.

Missouri Southern’s CJ Carr and Central Missouri’s Spencer Reaves, both second-team selections last season, round out the All-MIAA First Team during their senior campaigns. Carr leads the league in assists (6.2 per game) and steals (2.4 per game). Reaves wrapped up the regular season averaging 16.3 points per game with a .510 field goal percentage.

Southwest Baptist’s Chris Rossow has been named the MIAA Freshman of the Year and is averaging 4.7 assists per game, good for fifth-best in the league, while averaging 10.6 points per game.

The MIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament gets underway tonight with the first four games on the campus sites of the higher seed. Tonight’s winning teams will advance to Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City to face the tournament’s top four seeds on March 2-4.

Player of the Year
Justin Pitts, Sr., Northwest Missouri

Defensive Player of the Year
Brady Skeens, Sr., Washburn

Freshman of the Year
Chris Rossow, Fr., Southwest Baptist

Coach of the Year
Jeff Boschee, Missouri Southern

All-MIAA First Team
CJ Carr, Sr., Missouri Southern
Trey Lansman, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney
Justin Pitts, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Spencer Reaves, Sr., Central Missouri
Brady Skeens, Sr., Washburn

All-MIAA Second Team
Corbin Byford, Sr., Central Oklahoma
Elyjah Clark, So., Missouri Southern
Hadley Gillum, Sr., Fort Hays
Logan Hovey, Sr., Southwest Baptist
Chris-Ebou Ndow , Sr., Northwest Missouri

All-MIAA Third Team
Xavier Adams, Sr., Pittsburg State
Brett Dougherty, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Jakob Lowrance, Jr., Central Missouri
Terrance Smith, Jr., Lincoln
Joey Witthus Jr., Northwest Missouri

All-Defensive Team
CJ Carr, Sr., Missouri Southern
Brett Dougherty, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Jake Hammond, Sr., Central Oklahoma
DJ Richardson, Sr., Central Missouri
Brady Skeens, Sr., Washburn

Honorable Mention All-MIAA
DJ Richardson, Sr., Central Missouri
Marqueese Grayson, Sr., Central Oklahoma
Brandon Hall, Jr., Emporia State
Stephaun Limuel , Sr., Emporia State
Amariontez Ivory, Jr., Lincoln
Maurice Mason, Sr., Lincoln
Chandler Diekvoss, Jr., Lindenwood
Brad Newman, Jr., Lindenwood
Jackson Price, Jr., Lindenwood
Kinzer Lambert, So., Missouri Southern
Lavon Hightower, Jr., Missouri Western
Ty Danielson, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney
Lane Rohrich, Sr., Nebraska-Kearney
Jamir Andrews, Gr., Northeastern State
Donovan Franklin, Jr., Pittsburg State
Javion Blake, Jr., Washburn

— MIAA Press Release —

Missouri baseball wins home opener against Alabama A&M

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball won its home opener, 7-3, Tuesday night (Feb. 27) over Alabama A&M. Freshman RHP Ian Bedell (Davenport, Iowa) earned his first Division I win, going 3.2 relief innings, a career-long. He allowed just one earned run on two hits while striking out three. Reigning SEC Player of the Week Brian Sharp (Liberty, Mo.) went 3-for-3 with a double and walk, scoring three runs. He is 9-for-his-last-9 since game two of last Saturday’s doubleheader. In that span, he has one double, one triple, two homers, nine RBI, two walks and has scored seven times.

The Tigers walked a season-high 11 times Tuesday. Junior OF Connor Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) drove in a pair of runs and senior OF Trey Harris (Powder Spring, Ga.) had an RBI double in the sixth inning. Mizzou improves to 6-3 on the season while Alabama A&M falls to 3-5. The two will play the series finale Wednesday at 4 p.m.

TURNING POINT
Mizzou entered the bottom of the fifth inning, trailing 1-0 on a solo homer from Tyus O’Neal-El. That’s when Mizzou started to put together quality at-bats, getting a double from reigning SEC Player of the Week Brian Sharp (Liberty, Mo.). A&M starter Clayton Warner then walked three straight Mizzou batters as a bases-loaded walk to Cade Bormet (San Antonio, Texas) tied the game. CF Connor Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) then hit a sacrifice fly to left, giving Mizzou a 2-1 lead.

Mizzou scored three more in the sixth, highlighted by a Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) double to score Kameron Misner (Poplar Bluff, Mo.) from first. The other two runs came in on bases-loaded walks. Mizzou held on from there, getting good bullpen work from Nolan Gromacki (Smithville, Mo.) and Giovanni Lopez (Goodyear, Ariz.).

NOTES
– Mizzou now leads the all-time series with Alabama A&M, 2-0

– Mizzou has won five of six home openers since joining the SEC and both under second-year head coach Steve Bieser.

– Junior 3B Brian Sharp extended his hitting streak to six games, the longest active streak the longest by a Mizzou player this season.

– Sharp tallied his second multi-hit game of the season Tuesday. Since Saturday, he is 9-for-9 with nine RBI, seven runs, two homers, two walks and a double and a triple.

– Freshman RHP Konnor Ash made his first career start Tuesday, going a career-long 3.0 innings, allowing three hits and one run on a solo homer. He walked two and struck out one.

– Freshman RHP Ian Bedell earned his first career win, pitching 3.2 relief innings, allowing just one earned run on two hits with three strikeouts.

– Mizzou walked a season-high 11 times Tuesday.

UP NEXT
Mizzou and Alabama A&M will play the final contest of a two-game series at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

— Mizzou Athletics —

MWSU’s Thompson qualifies for NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships

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ST. JOSEPH – Phil Thompson will make history March 9 when the senior track and field athlete becomes the first-ever Griffon to represent Missouri Western at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Thompson’s provisional 49-5 triple jump at the Graduate Classic on Jan. 12 held up and got him into the national championships. He won’t have to adjust to a new runway with the championships being held in Pittsburg, Kan. The Griffons competed there several times this year including Thompson’s fifth place finish in the triple jump at the MIAA Championships last week.

The jump that got Thompson into the championships was fourth best in the MIAA this season and 14th best in all of Division II this season. While it’s the first-ever appearance for a Griffon at nationals, it isn’t Thompson’s. He finished 12th in the triple jump last year as a member of the St. Joseph’s College track and field team.

This year’s national championships will be held March 9 and 10 at the Robert W. Plaster Center on the campus of Pittsburg State University. Heat sheets will be released by March 5.

— MWSU Athletics —

Mizzou’s Cunningham, Frericks earn All-SEC honors

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou junior guard Sophie Cunningham and redshirt senior Jordan Frericks received All-SEC recognition, as announced by the Southeastern Conference on Tuesday. Cunningham was named First Team All-SEC by both the Associated Press and the league’s coaches and Frericks was named Second Team All-SEC by the coaches.

Cunningham has now earned First Team All-SEC honors in back-to-back seasons, becoming the first Tiger to secure First Team All-Conference recognition in two consecutive campaigns since Evan Unrau in 2003 and 2004.

Cunningham is currently the only player in the nation shooting above 47 percent from 3-point range, 56 percent from the field and 83 percent from the free throw line. She leads the SEC and ranks third in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage, making 47.5 of her attempts from long range. Cunningham also ranks fourth in the league in free throw percentage and seventh in the league in field goal percentage.

Cunningham is averaging a career-best 18.6 points per game, scoring in double figures 26 times in 28 games. She has scored at least 20 points 12 times, including seven times in conference play, and at least 25 points seven times. Cunningham has racked up 1,510 career points, which is fifth among active SEC players and ninth in Mizzou history.

Frericks received Second Team All-SEC recognition for the third time in her career. She is averaging 12.3 points and 7.6 rebounds in her final campaign at Mizzou. She has scored in double figures 19 times, including 12 times in the past 13 games to end the regular season in style. She’s also grabbed at least five rebounds 24 times in 29 games.

Frericks recently became just the third Tiger ever to reach 1,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds. She ranks third in program history in career rebounds with 1,010 and counting. Frericks has scored 1,414 career points and tallied 126 career blocked shots.

Mizzou continues its season at the 2018 SEC Tournament in Nashville this week. Mizzou tips off competition at 8:30 p.m. Thursday against either Florida or Ole Miss.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Andy Ball resigns as Central’s head football coach

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Andy Ball

Andy Ball is stepping down as Central High School’s head football coach in an announcement made Tuesday by Principal Dr. Deborah Stephens and David Lau, Athletic Director.

After much deliberation, Andy Ball, who has been Central’s head football coach since January of 2017, has accepted a position as the offensive coordinator for Missouri S&T in Rolla, Missouri.

While an offensive coordinator role is a substantial change from his role as the head coach of Central’s 5A football program, a job offer was attractive when it came up. “With the changes and uncertainty in the school district, it was hard to pass up a job I felt provided more stable footing. It was not an easy decision. I will continue to hope and pray that things get better in the district,” expressed Ball.

“Our goal at Central is to recruit and hire quality individuals like Andy. We are sad to see a quality head coach like him leave CHS,” said Dr. Deborah Stephens, Central Principal.

Athletic Director David Lau said, “Coach Ball’s passion for the game is contagious. We appreciate his hard work with our student athletes and service to our football program. It’s hard to lose good people. I know he will be a great offensive coordinator at Missouri S&T.”

Balls’ resignation is effective March 1, 2018. The search for his replacement will begin immediately.

(Press release)

Griffons pull off historic upset of Nebraska-Kearney in opening round of MIAA Tournament

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KEARNEY, Neb. – It was the biggest win of the season. It was the biggest upset in the history of the MIAA Women’s Basketball Championships.

The No. 12-seeded Missouri Western women’s basketball team knocked off No. 5-seed Nebraska Kearney, 60-57 Monday night to become the first 12-seed to ever win a game in the MIAA Championships. Missouri Western snapped a six-game losing streak and won on the road for just the second time all season and the first time against and MIAA opponent.

Missouri Western outscored the Lopers 21-13 in the fourth quarter to earn the victory. Down by seven with 6:53 left, the Griffons went on an 8-0 run capped by back-to-back three pointers by Mania Timson and Melia Richardson to take a one-point lead with 4:50 left. UNK answered to take a two-point lead, but the Griffons outscored the Lopers 8-3 over the final 3:33 to secure the team’s first postseason win since defeating Nebraska Kearney in the MIAA quarterfinals in 2016.

The Griffons advanced to the MIAA quarterfinals where they will face No. 4-seeded Central Oklahoma on Thursday, March 1 at approximately 8:15 p.m.

NOTABLES
– Timson led all scorers with a career-high 20 points, surpassing her previous career-high by 11 points. The freshman was 5-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range. She hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final 15 seconds to ice the victory.

– Nebraska Kearney made one of their last seven free throw attempts

– Missouri Western shot 88 percent at the free throw line while UNK shot 50 percent

– It was just the third time all season the Griffons won when trailing after three quarters

– Melia Richardson scored 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting to go with her four assists

– Savannah Lentz added 11 points

– Dossou Ndiaye scored nine points and pulled down nine rebounds

– Cera Ledbetter and KeShara Scott each pulled down eight rebounds

— MWSU Athletics —

Seniors propel No. 6 Kansas to 80-70 win over Texas

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ seniors led the charge on senior night.

Svi Mykhailiuk scored 17 points, Devonte Graham had 10 points and 11 assists and No. 6 Kansas beat Texas 80-70 to secure the outright Big 12 title.

Emotions ran high for the Jayhawks (24-6, 13-4 Big 12) in the final game at Allen Fieldhouse for Mykhailiuk, Graham and walk-on Clay Young.

“Been trying not to cry all day,” Graham said.

The emotion was channeled into a powerful start, as Kansas established control over the Longhorns (17-13, 7-10 Big 12) early. The Jayhawks wouldn’t look back after gaining the lead less than six minutes into the game.

“We didn’t play great tonight,” Bill Self said. “We played great in stretches though, first half especially. It’s nice to end your home season on a win so the guys can go out in style.”

Texas cut the lead to as little as six with just over 15 minutes remaining, but couldn’t complete the comeback. It carried the Big 12’s second-best shooting defense into the matchup, but allowed Kansas to shoot 60.3 percent from the field.

Kerwin Roach II led the way for the Longhorns with 18 points and eight assists, days after he hit the game-winner against Oklahoma State. Jacob Young posted 14 points and five rebounds.

Kansas has won its last nine meetings against Texas and has won 35 consecutive home finales. The Jayhawks are locked into the Big 12 tournament’s No. 1 seed.

NO MO

Texas was without star freshman Mo Bamba, who missed the game with a left toe injury. Bamba, a projected top-10 pick in the NBA draft, is second on the Longhorns in scoring (13 points per game) and first in rebounds (10.6) and blocks (3.8).

After he posted a career-high eight blocks against them in December, the Jayhawks tried to take advantage of his absence.

“That’s what we were emphasizing,” Graham said. “They didn’t have a rim protector, because Bamba’s one of a kind.”

AGGRESSIVE AZUBUIKE

While the spotlight belonged to the seniors, it was another strong game for Udoka Azubuike down low. He led all scorers with 20 points.

Azubuike entered the game leading the nation in field goal percentage (77.1 percent) and went 10 of 11 from the field. He also pulled in eight rebounds.

“That’s exactly how he should’ve played,” Graham said. “(Assistant coach Norm Roberts) came up to him in shootaround and told him just because Bamba’s out doesn’t mean you get to take the day off.”

SENIOR SENDOFF

Graham leaves Allen Fieldhouse a two-time All-Big 12 selection and No. 15 on the program’s all-time scoring list. Mykhailiuk ranks No. 6 all-time in 3-pointers made, and he cracked the top 50 on the all-time scoring list this season. Young appeared in 30 games in his three seasons as a walk-on.

BIG PICTURE

Kansas sealed the outright Big 12 championship after clinching at least a share of its 14th straight conference crown Saturday with a win over Texas Tech.

“I think they all feel great,” Self said. “If you don’t have to share it, you shouldn’t.”

Texas remains on the bubble to make the NCAA Tournament. If the Longhorns aren’t chosen, it will be just the third time in the last 20 years they’ve missed the tourney.

UP NEXT

Kansas wraps up its regular season on the road against Oklahoma State Saturday.

Texas will finish the regular season by hosting No. 20 West Virginia.

— Associated Press —

Western baseball loses series finale at Central Missouri 15-10

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WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Griffon baseball (5-8) fell at Central Missouri (9-2) 15-10. It is the first time this season Missouri Western has been swept in a series.

The final game of the series turned into a slugfest as the teams combined for 25 runs on 28 hits. MWSU and UCM were tied 5-5 after three innings before exchanging leads three times in the next four and half innings. The Griffons tied the game at 10-10 in the top of the eighth inning with a Will Jibas RBI single. The Mules broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth with five runs.

NOTABLES
– 10 runs is the most scored by Missouri Western since May 3, 2017 when it put 12 runs across the plate against Drury University

– The teams combined to use 27 position players and 13 pitchers in the three hour and 40 minute game

– Nick Schranck was 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and two walks

– Kyle Snuttjer had three RBIs and scored a run

– Dusty Stroup and Brooks Day each scored two runs

– Central Missouri’s Justin Graff-Rowe was 3-for-3 with four RBIs

UP NEXT
Missouri Western travels to Southern Indiana in Evansville, Indiana for a three-game series beginning on Friday, March 2.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest baseball completes sweep of Emporia State

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The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team defeated Emporia State, 12-11, in 12 innings on Monday at the Trusler Sports Complex in Emporia, Kan.

Hudson Bilodeau hit two home runs for the Bearcats including a walk off two-run shot in the bottom of the 12th.

Northwest improves to 6-6 overall and 3-0 in MIAA play with the weekend sweep. Emporia State falls to 6-7 overall and 0-3 in conference action.

Bilodeau went 3-for-5 with two home runs. He drove in five runs, scored twice and drew a walk.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored four in the second, one in the third, three in the sixth, one in the seventh, one in the eighth and two in the 12th.
– The Hornets scored three in the first, two in the second, one in the third, one in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the 12th.
– The Bearcats had 12 runs on 19 hits with five errors. Emporia State scored 11 runs on 17 hits with two errors.
– Luke Hassman went 4-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
– Aaron Barratt went 3-for-5 with a double. He scored two runs, stole a base and also reached on a walk.
– Alixon Herrera was 2-for-5 with a home run. He drove in a pair and scored one run. He also reached on a walk.
– Kevin Handzlik was 4-for-6 with a solo home run.
– Logan Rycraft was 1-for-6 with a run scored and added a stolen base.
– Mondesi Gutierrez was 1-for-5, scored two runs and stole a base.
– Nathan Russell came on in relief in the second. He pitched 3.1 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs. He walked one and struck out two.
– Jarret Cronin worked one inning of relief, allowing no hits. He walked two and struck out one.
– Jacob Wagner threw 4.1 innings of relief. He allowed just one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked one.
– Trevor Dudar picked up the win, retiring all three batters he faced.

Key Northwest Innings
– Northwest started the second with four straight hits. Hassman singled and Herrera hit his second home run in as many days over the left field fence to put the Bearcats on the board. Handzlik followed it up by taking the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for Northwest’s third run. Gutierrez continued the streak with a single up the middle. After an out, Barratt singled to center. Gutierrez went to third on a groundout. With two down, Bilodeau ripped a single into left, driving in Gutierrez to make it 5-4.

– In the third, Hassman and Herrera each hit back-to-back singles. Handzlk came up and laid down a bunt that landed perfectly between the pitcher’s mound and first base, allowing him to reach on an infield single to load the bases. A ground ball double play allowed Hassman to come in and score to keep it a one-run ballgame, 6-5.

– Leadoff batters again led to a big Northwest inning. Easley hit an infield single to second to start and Barratt drew a walk. Rycraft got a bunt single to third to load the bases. Bilodeau hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Easley for the Bearcats’ sixth run. After a groundout that moved up both runners, Hassman hit a single to left center, driving in Barratt and Rycraft to make it a 10-8 game.

– With one out in the seventh, Gutierrez was hit by a pitch. After a strike out, Barratt hit a single to put runners on the corners with two down. The Hornets changed pitchers with Rycraft at the plate. The Bearcats then executed a double steal as Barratt took of halfway to second, drawing a throw. On the throw, Gutierrez took off for home and beat the tag at the plate for Northwest’s ninth run.

– Bilodeau tied the game, 10-10, with a leadoff home run to left field in the bottom of the eighth.

– Down by one in the 12th, Barratt laced a double down the left field line to lead off. Rycraft moved him to third with sacrifice bunt. Bilodeau came up with his second home run of the game on the second pitch he saw, a blast over the left center field fence for the walk off.

Up Next
– The Bearcats will head to Fort Hays State on Friday, March 2, to start a three-game MIAA series with the Tigers. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 2 p.m.

— Northwest Athletics —

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