Dave Riggert – Page 367 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Kansas football coach David Beaty gets extension, raise

Posted on December 12, 2016

University of Kansas head football coach David Beaty has signed a two-year extension that takes him through the 2021 season. The extension elevates his guaranteed annual income to $1.6 million the first year, increasing by $100,000 in each succeeding year.

“This shows our appreciation for Coach Beaty, his staff and our players,” said KU Athletics Director Sheahon Zenger. “I have enjoyed watching their progress during this season. We want to capitalize on the momentum we all saw as the season came to a close. This reflects our belief in Coach Beaty’s leadership, and the energy and enthusiasm that we see every day from him and his players.”

The extension includes additional incentive payments for achievements including conference championships, bowl victories and coach-of-the-year honors.

Beaty last month completed his second season as KU’s head coach with a compensation package worth $800,000 per year.

“I am appreciative of Dr. Zenger and our administration’s show of support,” said Beaty. “He and his staff have gone above and beyond to give us everything we need to build our program. Our staff and players have worked diligently to lay a strong foundation for the years to come. While we have certainly made some progress, we still have work to do to get to where we ultimately want to be and we look forward to continuing to take on that challenge. I am excited about the future of this program and am very honored to be the man leading it.”

— KU Athletics —

K-State’s Willis accepts invitation to Reese’s Senior Bowl

Posted on December 12, 2016December 12, 2016

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior defensive end Jordan Willis has accepted an invitation to play in the 68th Annual Reese’s Senior Bowl, held on January 28, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, the organization announced Monday.

Willis, the 2016 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American by multiple outlets, will be the seventh Wildcat to play in the game since 2012. Each of the last two years, a former K-State player who participated in the premier college scouting event has been a high draft pick: Tyler Lockett – a third-round pick in 2015 by the Seattle Seahawks – and Cody Whitehair – a second-round selection in 2016 by the Chicago Bears.

A product of Kansas City, Missouri, Willis led the Big 12 and ranked ninth nationally during the regular season with a school-record tying 11.5 sacks as part of his 16.5 tackles for loss on the year. Willis has 26.0 career sacks to rank third in school history, while his 39.5 career TFLs rank ninth in K-State history and mark the first time a Wildcat has cracked the top 10 since 2001.

Entering his final game as a Wildcat, Willis has recorded a sack in 11 of the last 16 games dating back to his junior year and a TFL in 14 of the last 16.

A team captain for the 2016 Wildcats, Willis has helped lead K-State to an 8-4 record, including a 6-3 mark in the Big 12 to finish fourth in the league standings. Kansas State faces Texas A&M (8-4, 4-4 SEC) in the 2016 AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on Wednesday, December 28.

— K-State Athletics —

Jayhawks’ Frank Mason named Big 12 Player of the Week

Posted on December 12, 2016December 12, 2016

IRVING, Texas – Kansas senior guard Frank Mason III has been named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week as voted on by a media panel which covers the league, the conference announced Monday. Mason is receiving the honor for the second time in 2016-17, as he also earned the accolade Nov. 16.

In two Kansas victories last week, Mason averaged 24.0 points, including a career-high-tying 30 points in Kansas’ 105-62 win against UMKC (12/6). The Petersburg, Virginia, guard led KU with 18 points in the 89-72 win versus Nebraska (12/10). For the week, Mason had 12 assists with no turnovers and shot 69.6 percent from the floor, including 72.7 percent from 3-point range.

Mason has led Kansas in scoring in eight of 10 games this season and ranks second in the Big 12 with 20.8 points per game. He also ranks among the Big 12 leaders in 3-point field goal percentage (second at .548), assists (third at 5.5), field goal percentage (fourth at .587) and 3-pointers made (fourth at 2.3).

— KU Athletics —

No. 2 Bearcats use big first half to rout Central Missouri 76-57

Posted on December 11, 2016

By David Boyce

MARYVILLE, Mo. – In building a 26-point halftime lead, Northwest Missouri State’s men’s basketball team played at such an efficient, high-caliber level that the University of Central Missouri had no chance to stay close.

The Bearcats rode their huge advantage to a 76-57 victory early Sunday evening at Bearcat Arena. Northwest is now 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the MIAA.

Junior forward Chris-Ebou Ndow, who finished with a game-high 27 points on 10 of 15 shooting from the field, had a special reason for doing well.

“This is the first game any of my family came to watch the game and that was extra motivation for me,” said Ndow, whose mother traveled from Norway. “I really came ready because of them.”

The odds are high when the next NABC top 25 comes out early this week, the Bearcats, currently ranked No. 2, will move to the top. No. 1 Saginaw Valley State lost Saturday.

If that is the case, what a special December this is turning out to be at Northwest. The football team, ranked No. 1 all season, won its semifinal game on Saturday and will play for the national championship on Dec. 17.

“It means a lot,” Ndow said. “Coach Mac (Ben McCollum) always says we have an ultimate goal, but along the way we have small goals, and this is one of them. “It is huge for this school. I don’t think the basketball program has ever been No. 1 in the country. That was one of the real motivators for us coming into this game.”

On the hardwood, the men’s basketball team is playing at a championship level. The Mules got a taste of it on Sunday.

Central Missouri scored the first basket. The 2-0 lead was the only one the Mules had the entire game. Sophomore Justin Pitts, who went 7-for-7 from the field in the first half, tied the game at 2-2 with a basket and then gave Northwest a 5-2 lead with a three-pointer.

The Bearcats continued to improve its play in the opening 10 minutes. Ahead 14-8, Northwest went on a spurt that increased its lead to 23-9. At that point, Ndow got hot. A three-pointer followed by a two-point field goal by Ndow gave the Bearcats a 30-10 lead.

The advantage went over 20 when senior Zach Schneider made a three-pointer with 5:36 left in the first half that made it 35-13.

Late in the first half, Central Missouri was leaving Ndow open on the wing and he drilled back-to-back three-pointers that put Northwest up 45-20.

“I had a couple of games lately that I have been shooting pretty bad,” said Ndow, who was 7 for 10 from behind the arc. “I was anticipating them leaving me open. It was kind of the same thing Augustana did and rightfully so. We have so many offensive weapons. You have to pick your poison. Leaving me open is what they picked today. I was ready.”

Northwest was so hot from outside that with time running out, Pitts threw up a 35-footer and it went in, making it 48-22.

“I think we did everything coach Mac told us to do coming out,” said Pitts, who finished with 17 points. “With this game, it is always a rivalry so we have a little more concentration.”

The Bearcats were 10-of-16 three-pointers for 62.5 percent and overall Northwest was 66.7 percent from the field. Meanwhile, Northwest limited Central Missouri to only nine field goals in the first half.

“They kept helping off the corner so we set up the ball screen so where we would have a shooter in the corner like Chris and they left him wide open. He had a good night,” Pitts said.

With such a huge lead, the challenge for Northwest in the second half was maintaining its intensity and focus. The Bearcats succeeded. A dunk by Ndow gave Northwest a 52-27 lead. A little later, Ryan Welty drilled a three-pointer, making it 55-29.

Ndow stayed hot. With under 7 minutes remaining, he once again hit consecutive three-pointers that gave Northwest its biggest lead of the game at 67-36. A minute later it went to 70-38 on a three-pointer by Welty.

— Northwest Athletics —

K-State women drop first game of the season to No. 1 UConn

Posted on December 11, 2016

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Connecticut only managed to make two big runs against Kansas State on Sunday.

It took both of them to win.

Katie Lou Samuelson scored 26 points, Napheesa Collier had 22 and the top-ranked Huskies rode the momentum of a 17-0 surge in the first half and a 10-0 charge in the second to a 75-58 victory over the Wildcats at sold-out Bramlage Coliseum.

Samuelson hit six 3-pointers and Kia Nurse added 13 points for the Huskies (9-0), who ran their winning streak to 84 straight games, six shy of their 90-game stretch from 2008-10. It was also their 27th consecutive road win.

“We passed the ball to Lou a lot, so that always helps, when you pass it to Katie Lou,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said, trying to explain the game-changing runs that pushed his team to victory.

“We were able to get out in transition and get Kansas State’s defense moving before they could settle into a defense,” Auriemma said. “That was the game plan. And in the first quarter, we forced some turnovers, we rebounded the ball, ran our transition game, and our players are very good at finding Katie Lou.”

Breanna Lewis had 18 points for the Wildcats (9-1), who were off to their best start since 2008.

“I definitely had jitters. I’ve never had an opportunity to play in front of so many people,” said Karyla Middlebrook, who scored 11 for Kansas State. “But I don’t use that as an excuse for the two early turnovers I had. You have to turn those jitters into positive energy to help the team.”

Kansas State actually led 4-2 in the opening minutes before UConn ripped off a 17-0 charge that forced Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie to burn two timeouts. Samuelson did most of the damage, knocking down three 3-pointers, as the Wildcats missed seven consecutive field-goal attempts.

“They move the ball better than any team in the country,” Mittie said. “They do a great job of getting the basketball to Lou, she has a great high release and she’s a great shooter.”

The Wildcats finally got things under control, and even made a charge of their own to get within 45-31 at the break. But when they closed to 51-40 on a 3-pointer by Kaylee Page with about seven minutes left in the third quarter, the Huskies answered with 10 straight points.

That spurt, along with their big first-quarter run, was too much for Kansas State to overcome.

UConn shot nearly 50 percent from the field (30 of 61) and had a big advantage on the boards, while the Wildcats struggled to deal with the Huskies’ pressure. They turned it over 16 times.

“I thought our group in the third quarter created some turnovers, created some opportunities,” Mittie said. “Unfortunately we missed some opportunities to get it to single digits.”

SELLOUT CROWD

“When I heard it was sold-out,” Auriemma said, “I thought, `That’s the way it’s supposed to be. They have a really good team, we’ve never been out this way before. So you know what? We’re going to go in there and it’s going to be an unbelievable environment.”

BIG PICTURE

UConn proved again that its depth isn’t an issue, only playing six while building its commanding lead early in the game. The Huskies left Saniya Chong at home after she took an elbow during their win over Notre Dame and experienced concussion-like symptoms. “Hopefully she’ll be OK,” Auriemma said.

Kansas State appeared to let its nerves win in the first quarter, when turnovers and poor shooting conspired to put the Wildcats in a 25-8 hole. But they also showed some composure in battling back, which is sure to encourage Mittie as he continues to build the program.

UP NEXT

UConn heads back to the XL Center to play No. 12 Ohio State on Dec. 19.

Kansas State wraps its three-game homestand against Princeton next Sunday.

— Associated Press —

Northwest women let 12-point halftime lead slip away, lose to UCM

Posted on December 11, 2016

By David Boyce

MARYVILLE, Mo. – For one half, Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team played the type of winning basketball that will get victories in the rugged MIAA conference.

The Bearcats jumped to a 12-point lead at halftime against the University of Central Missouri and held that advantage early in the third quarter.

But a full court press by Central Missouri in the third quarter took the Bearcats out of their rhythm. Central Missouri closed to six at the end of the third quarter.

With 4 minutes left, Central Missouri had one more spurt and that carried the Jennies to a 61-55 victory Sunday afternoon at Bearcat Arena. It was a heartbreaking finish for Northwest.

“We have seen pressure before,” Northwest coach Buck Scheel said. “We know what we have to do in those situations and we have to do it. I can’t always call timeout to straighten things out. We have to execute, and we have to do it consistently.”

Northwest saw its 45-37 lead early in the fourth quarter turn into a 45-45 tie with 5:18 left.

Central Missouri took its first lead of the game at 48-47 with 3:56 left. But the Bearcats quickly responded with a three-pointer by sophomore Mallory McAndrews, making it 50-48.

The Jennies went back to their press and even when Northwest broke it, the guards twice failed to see a wide-open McAndrews on the wing for a potential three-pointer.

“We got some players when they get pressure and they have the ball in their hands, they have tunnel vision,” Scheel said. “It is something you have to learn from and figure it out. It just takes time.”

Central Missouri took a 52-50 lead with 2:19 left and then extended it to 56-50.

“Central Missouri hit some big shots when they needed them, and we didn’t take care of scoring opportunities when we had them,” Scheel said. “We missed some shots and had some turnovers.”

The 8-0 run by Central Missouri late in the game dashed the Bearcats hope of winning their first MIAA game of the season.

“We need to do a better job of handling the adversity no matter what it is,” Scheel said.

The loss dampened another stellar performance from junior forward Tanya Meyer. She finished with 22 points and a career-high 17 rebounds.

“We just need to be physically tough with the ball,” Meyer said. “I think that was one of the major things tonight. That was the reason for the outcome today. We need to be able to make the plays when we need them late in the game.”

In the first quarter, Northwest came out and played its most intense 10 minutes of defense and that allowed the Bearcats to bolt to a 14-2 lead and carry a 19-8 advantage into the second quarter.

Northwest was also playing well offensively. Three-pointers by Macy Williams and Meyer gave the Bearcats confidence early on.

The Bearcats continued to play well defensively in the second quarter. If it wasn’t for a three-pointer by Central Missouri in the closing seconds of the second quarter, Northwest would have had a bigger lead.

Still, Northwest went into halftime ahead 31-19. The Bearcats shot 55.6 percent from the field in the first half and held Central Missouri to 24.1 percent from the field.

The only aspect that hurt Northwest in the first half was turnovers. The Bearcats turned the ball over 11 times compared to five for the Central Missouri.

— Northwest Athletics —

Kansas women roll to a 36-point win against Rhode Island

Posted on December 11, 2016

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas women’s basketball brought its most complete team effort to the hardwood, as sharp shooting and stifling defense were the perfect combination to deliver a 72-36 victory over Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon inside Allen Fieldhouse.

Strong offensive and defensive efforts along with career-high performance from sophomore Kylee Kopatich were the key ingredients to cook up Brandon Schneider’s largest margin of victory at the helm of KU women’s basketball. Kopatich netted a career-best 19 points on 47 percent shooting, while also swiping five steals to lead the Kansas’ effort on both sides of the floor.

Defensively, Kansas (4-5) held Rhode Island (4-7) to just 36 points, marking the first time KU held an opponent to under 40 points since upsetting Cal, who netted just 39 points, in 2014. The Jayhawks also held the Rams to just 29 percent shooting from the floor, while KU had no such trouble shooting after converting 41.3 percent of its attempts.

Redshirt junior guard Jessica Washington and senior guard Timeka O’Neal rounded out the trio of Jayhawks to net double figures with 17 and 12 points, respectively. Washington contributed eight of her 17 points from the free throw line. Additionally, O’Neal launched exclusively from the three-point line, draining four of her season-high eight attempts. On the boards, junior forward Chayla Cheadle grabbed 10 rebounds, marking her second double-digit rebounding effort in three games.

Junior guard Charise Wilson led the Rams with 12 points, Rhode Island’s only double-digit scorer of the afternoon. Coming into the matchup, Wilson averaged 17 points per game and the Jayhawks held the scorer to 12 points behind 5-of-20 shooting.

A slow start from the Jayhawks gave Rhode Island an early advantage after the first 10 minutes of play. Kansas shot just 17 percent from the floor, as Washington netted all six of KU’s points in the opening period. The Rams connected on just 20 percent of its shot attempts and took a 7-6 lead into the second quarter.

Rhode Island hit a quick 3-pointer on its first possession in the second quarter to extend its lead to 10-6. From that point on, the second period belonged to Kansas, who outscored Rhode Island 30-7. Kopatich poured in 13 points with the help of 3-of-6 shooting behind the arc. Joining Kopatich in Kansas’ 3-point barrage were O’Neal and Washington, who helped the Jayhawks shoot a combined 6-of-11 (55 percent) from the 3-point line in the second quarter.

Kansas played unselfish, disciplined basketball in the second quarter, recording nine assists to just one turnover. On the defensive side of the ball, Kansas held the old adage true about missing all the shots you don’t take, limiting Rhode Island to only eight field goal attempts. At the half, Kansas led Rhode Island 36-17.

Kansas continued corralling the Rams in the third quarter, limiting Rhode Island to 36 percent shooting and expanding its lead by five. Through the first five minutes of the third quarter, Rhode Island only managed to add three points to the scoreboard. Though the Rams were able to score eight more points before the buzzer, they were still outpaced by the Jayhawks, who dropped 18 points in the third quarter. O’Neal knocked down both of her 3-point attempts to lead Kansas in third-quarter scoring with six points. The Jayhawks hit 44 percent of their shots and entered the final stanza with a 54-30 lead.

The Jayhawks protected their 24-point lead by imposing a methodical pace on the fourth quarter, switching from their full-court pressure to their half-court defense. While the Rams were held to single-digit scoring, the Jayhawks recorded their third-straight set with 18 or more points, as Kansas ran away with a 72-36 victory.

UP NEXT
The Jayhawks continue their five-game homestand with Arizona on Saturday, Dec. 17, at 12 p.m.

— KU Athletics —

Missouri Western snaps four-game skid with win over Division I SIU-Edwardsville

Posted on December 10, 2016December 10, 2016

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – For the first time in 36 years, the Missouri Western men’s basketball team knocked off a Division-I program, winning 49-44 at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Saturday afternoon.

HEADLINES

– First win over a Division I opponent for MWSU in 36 years (Northern Iowa, 1980)
– First road win of the 2016-17 season and first road win since Mar. 1 of last season (at Washburn in the MIAA Tournament)
– Missouri Western shot a little better than 40 percent from the field and attempted just one free throw in the game

KEY MOMENTS

– Seth Bonifas gave the Griffons the lead, 42-41, on a jump hook that capped a 7-0 run for Missouri Western with 4:13 left
– TJ Evans knocked down a wide-open three with 3:28 left to extend the lead to 45-41
– Missouri Western went on a 19-4 run in the first half that saw a 12-6 deficit become a 25-16 lead with 3:27 left in the half
– SIU-Edwardsville answered the MWSU first half run with a 7-0 run to close the first half and go to the locker room down two (25-23)
– SIU-Edwardsville was 9-15 from the free throw line in the second half, going 1-4 from the line under three minutes.

TOP PERFORMERS
– Aaron Emmanuel had his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds
– Cole Clearman ended with 14 points including 4-9 from the three-point line
– TJ Evans scored 11 points, shooting 5-9 from the field
– Seth Bonifas went 4-7 from the field, highlighted by 3-5 in the second half

UP NEXT
Missouri Western (2-8) hosts Baker University in a single non-conference game on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

St. Joseph Mustangs unveil 2017 schedule

Posted on December 10, 2016December 10, 2016

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The St. Joseph Mustangs path toward their fifth MINK championship in seven years will feature 29 games at Phil Welch Stadium, a new league foe, and a four-game homestand surrounding the Fourth of July holiday.

The Mustangs, coming off a 27-15 record and a playoff appearance in 2016, will kick off the ninth season in franchise history on May 31 against the Midwest A’s. The bar was set high immediately one summer ago with 4,493 fans setting an opening night attendance record.

The first weekend of the season also brings in St. Joseph’s first MINK League opponent. Nevada, a perennial contender in the South Division, visits Phil Welch for an early-season game with high stakes. Similar to previous years, the Mustangs will host games every Friday and Saturday night throughout the summer.

Independence Day and fireworks also coincide with the Mustangs longest homestand of the summer. St. Joe plays four straight in its home ballpark, with the slate of games wrapping up on the Fourth of July against the defending MINK League Champ, Sedalia. The Bombers will be looking for redemption after Mustangs’ designated hitter Kyle Uhrich hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning to seal a dramatic Independence Day win for St. Joe last season.

There will also be special holiday fireworks shows at the conclusion of games on July 1, July 3 and July 4.

The 2017 schedule also gives fans their first chance to see the newest MINK League team. The Jefferson City Renegades joined the league this off-season, and will play in the South Division. The Renegades will make their first-ever appearance at Phil Welch Stadium during a three-game series from July 13-15.

The Mustangs will also play in two doubleheaders throughout the season. The first will be at Ozark on June 13. Then, two days later, St. Joseph will host the Generals for a twinbill on June 15, with the first game starting at 5:30pm.

The postseason begins on July 26 with a new format for the MINK League Playoffs.

The opening round will feature the No. 2 and No. 3 team in each division facing off in a wild card game, with the winner moving on to meet their respective division winner in a one-game divisional playoff on July 27.

Winners of the divisional playoff advance to the best-of-three MINK League Championship Series on July 28.

All Mustangs’ home games will begin at 7pm unless stated otherwise.

To view the full schedule, click here.

— Mustangs Press Release —

Mizzou loses at home to No. 20 Arizona 79-60

Posted on December 10, 2016December 10, 2016

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — It’s an old cliché; winning on the road in college basketball is no easy task.

As a visiting opponent, having only seven players on scholarship doesn’t make it any easier.

It didn’t seem to faze No. 20 Arizona, which looked polished and poised as it defeated Missouri for the third consecutive season, cruising to a 79-60 victory Saturday in its first true road game of the season.

Rawle Alkins led the way for the Wildcats with 19 points and nine rebounds. Kobi Simmons had 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, and Kadeem Allen added 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

“We’re going through a lot right now,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said. “How we practice and every game, it’s just really crucial for us. I think that in short time, I’m hopeful we can get some guys back, but in the meantime, this was a meaningful game. … I’m proud of our guys’ effort and approach tonight.”

The Wildcats (8-2) jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first 3:12, eventually taking a 25-8 lead with 10:29 remaining in the first half. From that point, Missouri outscored Arizona 28-16 in the half, including a 7-0 run to end the opening 20 minutes.

The Tigers (5-4) continued to chip away at Arizona’s lead, eventually cutting the deficit to 45-41 early in the second half. However, the Wildcats responded with a 26-4 run that included a Missouri scoring drought of 6:59, halting any momentum the Tigers had mustered.

“I thought we did great job of coming back,” Missouri coach Kim Anderson said. “I was really proud of our guys and the way they competed. In the second half early, we had some chances, and then they went on a great run and for all practical purposes, put the game out of reach.”

Kevin Puryear had a team-best 11 points and seven rebounds. Leading scorer Frankie Hughes was held in check by the Wildcats’ backcourt, scoring 10 points on 2-of-13 shooting. Russell Woods had eight points and six rebounds, and Cullen VanLeer added eight points, all in the first half.

A reported crowd of over 10,000 was on hand for the only currently ranked opponent on Missouri’s home schedule.

VanLeer attributed the Tigers’ comeback efforts to the home crowd energy.

“The magnitude of the crowd was really nice to have. We appreciated everyone that came out. We were upset we couldn’t get the win today, but hopefully we can continue to get bigger crowds and it’ll help us get rhythm and flow in the game,” VanLeer said.

Arizona dominated the glass, outrebounding Missouri 46-28, its worst rebounding margin of the season.

The Wildcats led wire-to-wire despite nearly doubling Missouri’s turnovers, 15-8, and committing 22 fouls to the Tigers’ 11. Missouri shot 66.7 percent from the free throw line, including 9 of 17 in the second half.

BIG PICTURE

Arizona: The Wildcats entered the game shooting 36.6 percent from 3-point range, but caught fire early against the Tigers, shooting 54.2 percent. Missouri made just 1 of 8 3-point attempts in the second half while the Wildcats made 6 of 10. Missouri was coming off a season-high 3-point output against Miami (Ohio).

Missouri: A tenacious on-ball defender, Missouri point guard Terrence Phillips has struggled with foul trouble in recent games. In Monday’s 81-55 win over Miami (Ohio) Phillips played only 10 minutes in the second half, finishing with four fouls. He picked up his third foul 3:56 into the second half, limiting him to just 16 minutes against the Wildcats.

PIVOTAL MOMENT

Woods received a bounce pass in the lane on a fast break and gathered for a two-handed slam in front of the Missouri student section that would have cut the deficit to 45-43, but missed the dunk. On the ensuing Arizona possession, Woods was whistled for a foul, leading to two free throws by Arizona forward Dusan Ristic, who finished with 12 points and six rebounds.

LET DOWN

Freshman 7-footer Lauri Markkanen entered the game as Arizona’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 17.8 points and 7.2 rebounds. Against Missouri, the native of Finland had a season-low eight points to go with six rebounds, and fouled out with 2:53 remaining.

Puryear discussed his approach to defending Markkanen.

“Just being physical with him,” Puryear said. “Not letting him get comfortable with where he was on the floor with the ball. He likes to operate in the mid-post area, so I tried to eliminate that.”

UP NEXT

Arizona: hosts Grand Canyon on Wednesday.

Missouri: hosts Eastern Illinois next Saturday.

— Associated Press —