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Author: Dave Riggert

No. 4 Kansas blows out Loyola 94-61 in Diallo’s debut

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riggertKULAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Wayne Selden Jr. sliced down the lane, saw the defense collapse and whipped a pass behind his back, hoping against everything that Cheick Diallo would be there to catch it.

Not only was he there, Diallo was ready to flush it.

In his much-anticipated debut for fourth-ranked Kansas, the 6-foot-9 freshman from Mali had a trio of highlight-reel dunks Tuesday night. He finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks while helping the Jayhawks overcome a first-half malaise for a 94-61 victory over Loyola.

“At first, I don’t know what I was doing. I was so excited. I turned the ball over so easily,” said Diallo, who was the subject of an exhaustive eligibility inquiry by the NCAA. “I was so excited, I didn’t know what I was doing. At the end of the game, I was playing so good.”

Yes, he sure looked like he knew what he was doing on Selden’s nifty pass.

“I wouldn’t have thrown it if I didn’t think he’d catch it,” said the junior guard, who finished with a game-high 18 points. “He was in the right place at the right time.”

The Jayhawks (5-1) led just 40-36 at halftime before going on a 15-1 run to start the second half. Diallo finished off the flurry with the that first dunk, then added another off an alley-oop pass from Carlton Bragg, and finished with a breakaway dunk with 4 1/2 minutes left.

“He was having fun. That’s great,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I’m happy for him. The kid waited a long time to get out there.”

While the Jayhawks struggled on the boards early, and never got into an offensive rhythm until they came out of the locker room to start the second half, they still had no problem putting away an overmatched opponent from the Patriot League for their 26th straight win at Allen Fieldhouse.

That winning streak is tied for the eighth-best in school history.

Eric Laster had 16 points and Andre Walker had 10 for Loyola (1-6), which missed its first five shots and committed five turnovers to start the second half, when the Jayhawks went on their big run.

“We played really hard in the first half, four-point game,” Greyhounds coach G.G. Smith said. “In the second half, they started on an 11-0 run and we just couldn’t catch up.”

That’s because the second 20 minutes belonged to Diallo and the Jayhawks.

Diallo was held out while the NCAA examined his academic work from a New York prep school and his relationship with his guardian. Eventually, Diallo was deemed to have accepted a modest amount of improper benefits, resulting in a five-game suspension.

That ended on Tuesday night, and Diallo was given a standing ovation when he checked in. Several members of the student section even painted “FREE AT LAST” across their chests.

“I was nervous for Cheick,” Self said, “because I knew this was a highly anticipated game in large part because of all the other stuff.”

While raw on offense — Diallo has only been playing basketball about five years — he was active on the offensive and defensive glass. And his infectious energy and boundless enthusiasm allowed the Jayhawks to pull away in what had been a tight game at the half.

“He told me two days ago, `I don’t get nervous.’ Then yesterday, `Oh, coach, I’m so nervous!” Self said with a smile. “Fortunately he got an easy basket and after that he was fine.”

LUCAS SITS

Kansas forward Landen Lucas sat out with a sprained toe. He has not practiced since the Maui tournament but hopes to participate in Thursday’s workout. “He wanted to play today,” Self said.

TIP-INS

Loyola: Leading scorer Jarred Jones was held to four points. … The Greyhounds are in the midst of playing seven of nine on the road. … Loyola also lost to Kansas in January 2008.

Kansas: Frank Mason III had 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. … The Jayhawks were just 12 of 26 from the foul line. … Kansas forced Loyola into 21 turnovers.

UP NEXT

Loyola tries to snap a four-game skid Saturday against Mount St. Mary’s.

Kansas continues a three-game homestand Saturday against Harvard.

— Associated Press —

MWSU’s Jefferson earns national Player of the Week honor from USBWA

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riggertMissouriWesternMissouri Western senior guard LaQuinta Jefferson has earned a National Player of the Week honor after earning MIAA honors earlier this week.  Jefferson has been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II Women’s basketball Player of the Week.

The senior from Murfreesboro, Tennessee averaged 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in helping the Griffons to their first 5-0 start since the 2006-07 season with wins over Evangel (113-49) and Graceland (99-35). Jefferson also shot 80.6 percent (25-31) from the field, including 70 percent (7-of-10) from three-point range.

Jefferson recorded 30 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal against Evangel last Friday, going 13-of-17 from the field and followed that with 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting, netting all three three-point attempts, against Graceland on Saturday. Jefferson also had five rebounds, five assists and two steals in that win.

Missouri Western begins conference play Wednesday night when they travel to Central Missouri for a 5:30 tip.  The game will air live on 680 KFEQ or here on StJosephPost.com.

Nebraska falls in OT to No. 21 Miami

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riggertNebraskaLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Davon Reed’s 3-pointer gave Miami the lead in overtime and the No. 21 Hurricanes made three free throws in the last 15 seconds to beat Nebraska 77-72 on Tuesday night.

Angel Rodriguez scored 15 points, Sheldon McClellan had 14 and Anthony Lawrence added 10 for the Hurricanes (6-1), who shot a season-low 41 percent but made 23 of 28 free throws and outscored the Huskers by 14 at the line.

Shavon Shields scored a season-high 28 points for the Cornhuskers (5-3). Andrew White III had 13 points and Glynn Watson Jr. added 11, including the tying 3-pointer with 18.9 seconds left in regulation.

Reed had missed all eight of his shots in regulation before making a 3 from the wing with 2:36 left in overtime to put Miami ahead 71-70. The lead was 3 points after Kamari Murphy followed with a dunk.

— Associated Press —

Missouri State loses heart breaker to Utah State 69-68

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riggertMSUSPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Jalen Moore scored 20 points, Shane Rector hit the game-winning free throws with three seconds left, and Utah State rallied to beat Missouri State 69-68 on Tuesday night as part of the Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge.

The Bears led 51-42 in the second half after Obediah Church’s dunk, but Utah State’s Quinn Taylor tied it at 67 with a jumper with 1:51 to play.

Rector scored 12 points and had a career-high six assists. Darius Perkins scored 12 on four 3-pointers for the Aggies (6-1), who shot 10 of 23 from behind the 3-point arc. Lew Evans grabbed 11 rebounds.

Missouri State led 13-7 after Dequon Miller’s 3, but the Aggies pulled ahead late and Perkins hit a 3 with 1:15 left to put Utah State up 32-31 at halftime.

Chris Kendrix scored 17 points for the Bears (1-6) and Church added 14.

— Associated Press —

Northwest women defeat Saint Mary for second win

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Northwest2013riggertThe Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team picked up its second straight victory Monday evening in Maryville, dispatching of the Saint Mary Spires, 67-35.

Northwest improved its record to 2-4 with the win.

Tember Schechinger recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds while dishing out three assists and making three steals. The senior hit 6-of-14 shots from the field.

Senior Taylor Shull made four steals in the contest. The guard added seven points and three assists.  Tanya Meyer dropped in 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds. Jasmin Howe hit two second half treys en route to 10 points while distributing two assists and corralling four rebounds.

Northwest forced 25 Saint Mary turnovers while committing just 13.  The Bearcats hit 47.5 percent of their shots in the game (29-for-61), but hit nearly 60 percent in the second half (16-of-27).  Northwest dominated in the paint, outscoring the Spires, 38-18.

After falling behind by three in the first minute, 5-2, the Bearcats used an 11-0 run to set the tone for the rest of the game. Taylor Shull hit a three-pointer on a pass from Tember Schechinger to tie the score at five. Northwest forced two turnovers before Jasmin Howe handed the Bearcats their first lead on a driving layup three minutes into the game. Northwest would not trail the rest of the night. Howe made another steal, leading to Schechinger putting in a layup off her own miss. The intensity remained high on the defensive end when Shull and Schechinger made two steals each on four of the next five Spire possessions. Schechinger laid in another offensive rebound in the midst of that run to put the Bearcats in front, 11-5. The Bearcat run ended when Macy Williams found Shelby Mustain under the basket for an easy layup.

Leading 42-28 after three quarters of play, the Bearcats scored the first 14 points of the final period to seal the victory. Mustain made a block on the defensive end and dropped in a layup after a perfect pass from Jasmin Howe. After a shot clock violation, Jasmin Howe poured in a three pointer from the left side. Mustain hit a short range jumper on a pass from Shull to extend the lead to 49-28. Schechinger made layups on consecutive possessions before finding Mallory McAndrews at the top of the key, who knocked down a three-pointer to put the Bearcats in front by 28.

The Bearcats will open MIAA play when they travel to Bolivar, Mo. on Thursday, Dec. 3 to face off with Southwest Baptist. First tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

— Northwest Athletics —

Griffons’ Jefferson named MIAA Player of the Week

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MWSUKANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Western senior guard LaQuinta Jefferson has been named the MIAA Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week.

Jefferson shined in two wins over the weekend during the Holiday Inn Express Classic. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee native averaged 28.5 points and 26.5 minutes while shooting 80 percent from the field and 70 percent from 3-point range. Jefferson added 10 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and three steals.

The two wins this weekend helped the team to its first 5-0 start since the 2006-07 season. The 22nd ranked Griffons now lead the nation in scoring offense (96.6) and scoring margin (41.2). Missouri Western is second in the nation, shooting 55 percent from the field, averaging 16 steals per game and carrying a plus 13.2 turnover margin.

Missouri Western begins conference play this week with a trip to Central Missouri on Wednesday.  The tip is at 5:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on 680 KFEQ AM.

— MWSU Athletics —

Mizzou not interested in going to a bowl game

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riggertMissouriCOLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri is not interested in accepting a bowl bid after finishing the regular season 5-7.

Athletic director Mack Rhoades said Monday that the school would not seek permission to play another game. Rhoades said the focus was on finding a successor to coach Gary Pinkel, who is stepping down while batting non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“Following this weekend’s football games, there have been significant discussions nationally concerning 5-7 teams participating in bowl games,” Rhoades said. “After careful consideration, we have decided it is not in the best interest of our football program to seek permission from the NCAA to participate in a bowl game.”

There are a record 40 bowl games this season. NCAA officials say teams with 5-7 records will become eligible for at least two bowl bids, and as many as five, based on their Academic Progress Rates.

Missouri has reportedly named long-time assistant coach Andy Hill interim head coach.

Among the top candidates to succeed Pinkel are Temple coach Matt Rhule and Missouri defensive coordinator Barry Odom.

— Associated Press —

Chiefs’ Houston has knee strain, future outlook unclear

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riggertChiefsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs were quickly running out of offensive linemen as one by one they went down with injuries, and for the briefest of moments, Andy Reid might have thought he’d need to suit up himself.

Hey, it’s only been 34 years since the coach played for BYU.

The Chiefs ultimately got by with Jeff Allen, hurt earlier in Sunday’s game against Buffalo, getting back on the field. But things could be dicey going forward after left tackle Eric Fisher hurt his neck and center Mitch Morse sustained a concussion in the 30-22 victory.

To say nothing of the knee injury to Justin Houston.

The All-Pro pass rusher went down when he was tripped by his own teammate while chasing a play in the first half Sunday. He lay face-down on the field while trainers tended to him, then was helped to the sideline and into the locker room. He was seen limping out of it after the game.

Reid indicated the injury is similar to one Houston sustained in a playoff loss to the Colts nearly two years ago. In that case, it was a strained knee ligament — depending on the severity of it, such an injury can sideline a player anywhere from two weeks to half a season.

In the midst of a playoff chase, the Chiefs (6-5) visit Oakland on Sunday and are hopeful Houston will be back soon.

“He’s going to get an MRI today,” Reid said Monday. “I don’t want to put anything out there. Let’s see how that is how bad it is, and go from there. I think he’s doing OK.”

The Chiefs have rebounded from a 1-5 start in part because they have been better than other teams at dealing with injuries. Pro Bowl running back Jamaal Charles was lost for the season to his own knee injury, while offensive lineman Ben Grubbs remains sidelined by a neck injury.

Several other starters have missed time, including running back Charcandrick West, who had started since Charles went down but missed Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury.

“That’s one thing I like about my team. We find a way to persevere,” said Spencer Ware, who ran for 114 yards and a touchdown in his first start. “With Jamal going down and then Charcandrick going down, our whole team is filled with people that prepare like they are the guy, so when the time comes they’re able to step in. And that’s what we do.”

That’s what the Chiefs did along the offensive line on Sunday.

Reid said he would have slid a tight end or defensive lineman into the game ahead of himself if the Chiefs ran out of offensive linemen. But with injuries mounting on the defense line, Reid also acknowledged that “we were a little low there, too.”

“You can’t say enough,” said Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who was sacked just once but did not lose any yardage on it. “Three injuries, moving the line around, playing different positions and still being able to get it done really speaks to their depth.”

Reid has been in this position before, during his final year in Philadelphia. But he is confident that Kansas City has more depth than the Eagles did back then, when injuries conspired to send them to a 4-12 record and Reid was fired after 14 seasons.

“I’m always going to tell you, (general manager) John Dorsey and his crew do a phenomenal job of bringing these guys in,” Reid said. “You’re looking at guys with big hearts.”

Not to mention a team that, despite its ailments, is in the thick of the playoff hunt.

“It’s one of those things, next man up,” Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said. “Coach Reid holds us to a high level, everybody across the board, second and third string, offense and defense. You have to come in and respond and play well.”

— Associated Press —

Missouri Western men’s basketball signs Illinois prep Jason Jones

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riggertMissouriWesternST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Missouri Western Head Men’s Basketball Coach Brett Weiberg has announced the signing of Jason Jones to the 2016-17 squad.

Jones plays at Rock Island High School in Rock Island, Illinois where he has earned three letters. He has also earned All-Conference and All-Metro accolades during his high school career. In 2014-15, Jones averaged 9.7 points, 3.1 assist, and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Jones is the son of James and Theresa and plans to major in Physical Therapy at Missouri Western.

— MWSU Athletics —

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