SAVANNAH INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT – GIRLS BRACKET
Lafayette 43, Chillicothe 40
Bishop LeBlond 51, Savannah 28
Maryville 45, Platte County 39
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – 8:00 Saturday
Lafayette vs. Bishop LeBlond
3RD PLACE GAME – 6:30 Saturday
Chillicothe vs. Maryville
5TH PLACE GAME – 5:00 Saturday
Platte County vs. Savannah
Down by nine points late in the second half, Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team refused to concede to Pittsburg State.
The Bearcats clawed their way back and had a chance to tie or win with the lastpossession. Unfortunately, Northwest failed to get off a good shot on two opportunities.
So what could have been a thrilling, come-from-victory turned into tough 57-55loss for Northwest Thursday evening at Bearcat Arena in the MIAA opener forboth teams.
“We can’t hang our heads,” Northwest coach Michael Smith said. “We have a one-day prep before we have Emporia State coming to town, playing on our home floor. We need to represent our home floor with the best of our abilities.”
All indications point to the Bearcats learning from this loss. In fact, they showed growth during the game. In the first half, they had 12 turnovers and never went to the free throw line.
“We made some turnovers in the first half that kind of put us in a bind,” Smith said. “We did a much better job in the second half of handling the basketball, but we can’t be a team that plays from behind. That will wear on you more mentally than physically, especially in a tough conference season we have ahead of us.”
Northwest reduced the turnovers to just three in the second half and made 12 of 14 from the line.
One of those misses came from junior Ashleigh Nelson with 24 seconds remaining that could have tied the game at 56-56.
But it was Nelson’s shooting from the field that gave Northwest an opportunity to win. She led all scorers with 18 points.
With a little under 7 minutes left, it looked very bleak for Northwest. The Bearcats trailed 52-43. At that point, Northwest picked up its defense and started creating a few turnovers.
“We all have the fight within ourselves to do it, but like coach said, we can’t play from behind,” Nelson said. “We have to be the team who is ahead and act like we are behind and play with the passion and energy as if we are down.”
Over the next 4 minutes, the Bearcats chipped away at its deficit and closed to 55-54 with 2:07 left. They just couldn’t come up with that one play to put them over the top.
“It was a little frustrating finding someone to step up and make a play for us to get us that lead,” Nelson said.
Both Smith and Nelson agreed that the game was really lost in the first half.
Despite going into halftime tied 28-28, Northwest put together one stretch in the latter part of the first half that gave a glimpse of what it can do when everything is in sync.
The Bearcats trailed 14-12 when they started reducing the enforced turnovers, played tough defense and had great ball movement.
A basket by Ariel Easton tied the game and Nelson gave the Bearcats their first lead since 3-2 when she made a bucket to make it 16-14 with 8:15 remaining in the first half.
After Pittsburg tied the game at 16-16, the Bearcats scored the next seven points for a 23-16 lead. Three different players scored during the run.
The Bearcats were not able to sustain that level of play and only scored five points in the final 6 minutes in the first half.
“If we could have stretched our lead, it would have been huge for us to go into the second half with a lead,” Nelson said.
— NWMSU Sports Information —
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Marcus Foster and Thomas Gipson scored 15 points each to lead Kansas State, and Marshall Henderson’s go-ahead 3-point try with 2 seconds left missed everything, allowing the Wildcats to hang on for a 61-58 victory over Mississippi Thursday night.
Wesley Iwundu added 10 points, including a free throw after Henderson’s missed 3-pointer, as the Wildcats (5-3) beat the Rebels (6-1) for the first time in five tries.
Henderson, the flamboyant guard who dazzled in last year’s NCAA tournament, finished with 13 points but was just 4 of 18 from the field and 2 of 13 from beyond the arc.
Jarvis Summers led the Rebels with 18 points.
Neither team led by more than five points the entire way, and it remained tense in the closing seconds.
Henderson’s fade-away 3-pointer with 28.8 seconds left got the Rebels within 59-58, but Will Spradling made one of two free throws to give Kansas State a cushion.
Ole Miss raced the ball up court, and Derrick Millinghaus got the ball in the hands of Henderson, who let go with a tightly guarded 3-pointer from the wing that missed everything.
By the time Iwundu was fouled after the rebound, the Wildcats were already celebrating.
Their victory in the Big 12-SEC Challenge was a good sign of how far the young team has come in a short time. Kansas State lost on its home floor to Northern Colorado in its season opener.
The Wildcats led most of the first half, despite committing nine turnovers, thanks to an ability to break the Rebels’ full-court pressure and their dominance of the boards.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss struggled with foul trouble. Post players Anthony Perez, Aaron Jones and Demarco Cox each picked up a pair of fouls shortly after the midway point of the half, forcing coach Andy Kennedy to use some unique substitution patterns just to get to the break.
Henderson’s only basket of the half came on a layup with 7:37 left to get Ole Miss within 19-18, but the Wildcats answered with a bucket and two free throws at the other end. When the Rebels pulled even at 25-all later in the half, Kansas State scored the next four points again.
Summers’ basket just before the buzzer got the Rebels within 31-29 at the break.
The game remained tight throughout the second half, neither team able to create much separation. For the Wildcats, it was lousy foul shooting that prevented them from pulling away, and for Ole Miss it was miserable shooting from the perimeter that kept it from establishing a lead.
Henderson, who missed his first seven 3-point attempts, finally connected from deep with 5:37 left to knot the game 49-all. Sebastian Saiz’s putback and Cox’s basket in the paint gave the Rebels a four-point lead, their biggest to that point in the game.
The Wildcats slowly regained the lead from the foul line, despite making one of two on just about every trip, and Foster’s 3-pointer with 1:22 remaining gave them a 57-3 lead.
Jones answered with a putback at the other end for Ole Miss, and Shane Southwell was there to pick up a loose ball and scoop in a basket for Kansas State to restore a 59-55 lead with 36 seconds left. Henderson let loose a 3-pointer that splashed through the net with 28.8 seconds remaining.
— Associated Press —
Mizzou Football senior defensive end Michael Sam (Hitchcock, Texas) has been named one of six finalists for the 2013 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award, the Ted Hendricks Foundation announced Thursday (Dec. 5). The Tiger defender has put together an exemplary final campaign at Mizzou that continues into Saturday’s SEC Championship Game vs. No. 3 Auburn. Sam currently leads the conference in both sacks (10.5) and tackles-for-loss (18.0).
The Hendricks Award goes annually to the nation’s top defensive end and is named after Ted Hendricks, who became college football’s first three-time First Team All-American at Miami (FL) in the late 1960s.
Sam has been recognized three times this season by the SEC, twice as the league’s defensive line player of the week (Sept. 28, Oct. 5) and once as its defensive player of the week (Oct. 19). All three weekly awards followed impressive 3.0-sack performances from Sam (vs. Arkansas State, at Vanderbilt, vs. No. 22 Florida).
The Hendricks Award selection marks the third national award finalist status attained by Sam this season. He is also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurksi Award (most outstanding defensive player) and Rotary Lombardi Award (lineman of the year).
Sam is joined as a Hendricks finalist by Clemson’s Vic Beasley, Michigan State’s Shilique Calhoun, Montana State’s Brad Daly, Texas’ Jackson Jeffcoat and Louisville’s Marcus Smith.
The final vote for the 2013 Hendricks Award will be concluded on Tuesday, Dec. 10, and the winner will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 11. Members of the national media, head coaches, professional scouts and former Hendricks Award winners are included on the voting committee. This year’s winner will be honored in the spring of 2014 at a time and place to be determined.
Sam and No. 5 Mizzou will take on Auburn for the conference crown inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, Dec. 7. Kickoff for the nationally-televised game is set for 3 p.m. CT on CBS.
— MU Sports Information —
Missouri Western football players Michael Jordan (So., DB, Hazelwood, Mo.) and Scott Groner (Jr., P, Tecoma, Victoria (Australia)) were named to the Daktronics Super Region 3 Second Team which was released Thursday morning (December 5).
Michael Jordan (DB, 6-0, 200, So., Hazelwood, Mo.) was named to the first team All-MIAA for the first time in his career this season after being named MIAA Freshman of the Year and honorable mention in 2012. This season Jordan finished with 48 total tackles with 36 being solo. He had two tackles for a loss to go along with three interceptions and eight pass break-ups. Jordan had seven tackles twice this season against Fort Hays State and Emporia State.
Scott Groner (P, 6-4, 200, Jr., Tecoma, Victoria (Australia)) had an outstanding season averaging an MIAA best 42.6 yards per kick. He ranked 11th in the nation with that average. Groner punted 50 times for 2,132 with a long of 61 yards on September 21, 2013 at Nebraska-Kearney. He had nine kicks of 50 or more yards to go along with 13 kicks inside the 20. It was first time in his career that he has been named to the first team All-MIAA. He was an honorable mention selection in 2011.
The Griffons finished the season with an 8-3 overall record and 7-3 MIAA record. It was the eighth time in the past nine seasons and 11th time in Head Coach Jerry Partridge’s tenure that the Griffons have won eight or more games.
— MWSU Sports Information —
The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have acquired outfielder Norichika Aoki from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed pitcher Will Smith.
Aoki, 31, batted .286 with eight home runs, 37 RBI and 20 stolen bases for Milwaukee in 2013. He ranked second in the Major Leagues with 40 infield hits, while he led the National League in singles (140), tied for seventh in multi-hit games (50), seventh in times reaching base (237) and tied for 10th in hits (171). Aoki hit .339 (60-for-181) against left-handed pitching last season, the top average by a left-handed hitter in the Major Leagues. He also struck out just 40 times in 674 plate appearances for an MLB-leading 16.9 at-bats per strikeout ratio.
Aoki was signed by the Brewers prior to the 2012 season after playing eight seasons with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League (2004-11). He batted .288 during his rookie campaign with the Brewers, collecting 10 homers, 50 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 151 games. He finished fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting, leading all first-year players in steals and tied San Diego’s Yonder Alonso for the N.L. rookie lead in hits (150).
He hit .329 with 84 homers, 385 RBI and 164 stolen bases during his career in Japan. Aoki won the Central League’s batting championship three times: 2005 (.344), 2007 (.346) and 2010 (.358) and hit over .300 in seven of his eight seasons in the league. He is the only player in Nippon Professional Baseball history with two 200-plus hit seasons (2005 and 2010). Aoki was a seven-time recipient of the Best Nine Award (Japanese equivalent of the Silver Slugger Award), a six-time Gold Glove honoree in center field and was the 2005 Central League Rookie of the Year. He was also a member of both of Japan’s World Baseball Classic championship teams in 2006 and 2009.
He will become the first Japanese-born position player to suit up for the Royals.
Smith, 24, went 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA in 19 appearances (18 as a reliever) for the Royals last season.
— Royals Media Relations —
Mizzou Football junior defensive lineman Matt Hoch (Harlan, Iowa) has been recognized to the 2013 Capital One Academic All-America team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A second team honoree, Hoch has compiled an outstanding 3.96 GPA in the middle school education major, all while starting 22 games in the trenches for Mizzou over the last two seasons.
Hoch has recorded 35 tackles, including 4.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks, in 10 starts on the Tigers’ defensive line in 2013, already setting a season-best in sacks. He was a 2012 CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District honoree last season.
Conference academic recognition also has not escaped Hoch, as he earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2012. He was a 2011 Academic All-Big 12 honoree previously.
Hoch and No. 5 Mizzou next play in Saturday’s SEC Championship Game vs. No. 3 Auburn inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. Kickoff for the nationally-televised game is set for 3 p.m. CT on CBS.
— MU Sports Information —
The Northwest Missouri State football team placed five individuals on the Daktronics Super Region #3 team. Junior defensive end Matt Longacre, who earned first-team honors, was also named the Defensive Player of the Year. Cornerback Brandon Dixon and offensive lineman Cody Carlson were named first-team performers and linebackers Eric Reimer and D.J. Gnader each earned second team honors. All five honorees were also first-team All-MIAA performers.
Longacre was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, recording 53 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He also has 15 quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown against Nebraska-Kearney on Sept. 28.
Carlson has started all 12 games for the Bearcats at left guard. Northwest has given up just 14 sacks on the season and is ranked fourth in NCAA Division II with a 45.8 point per game average.
Dixon has recorded 26 tackles, seven pass breakups, one field goal block and one interception on the season. Consistently charged with defending the opponent’s top receiver, Dixon and the Bearcats rank sixth nationally in total defense (283.4) and 16th in pass defense (181.9).
Reimer has started all 12 games this season for Northwest, recording 89 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and has forced a fumble. He was named to the Capital One Academic All-America team this season.
D.J. Gnader leads the Bearcats with 90 tackles on the season. He has also recorded 5.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, six pass breakups, two interceptions, two quarterback hurries and has recovered one fumble. He has started all 12games for Northwest this year.
— Northwest Sports Information —
SAVANNAH INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
BOYS SEMIFINALS
Lafayette 59, Platte County 44
Staley 58, Savannah 47
BOYS CONSOLATION
Chillicothe 59, Hogan Prep 55
Bishop LeBlond 52, Maryville 41
CHAMPIONSHIP – Friday 8:30
Lafayette vs. Staley
3RD PLACE GAME – Friday 7:00
Savannah vs. Platte County
5TH PLACE GAME – FRIDAY 5:30
Bishop LeBlond vs. Chillicothe
7TH PLACE GAME – Friday 4:00
Maryville vs. Hogan Prep
Northwest Missouri State quarterback Trevor Adams and linebacker Eric Reimer were named to the Capital One Academic All-America® NCAA Division II football team. The team is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Adams, who becomes a three-time Academic All-America® selection, was honored as the winner of the Academic All-America® of the Year award for Division II football. He becomes the second Bearcat to earn this honor, joining Josh Lamberson who was the Academic All-America® of the Year award winner in 2005.
This season, Adams currently leads all of Division II with a 192.1 pass efficiency rating and a 73.5 completion percentage. His 25 touchdown passes is a career-high and his 2,292 passing yards marks the third time he has surpassed 2,000 yards for a season. For his career, Adams ranks second in Northwest history in touchdown passes with 69, third with 514 completions and is fourth in completion percentage (65.6), passing yards (7,018) and total offense (7,480). He was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Year and was named aScholar-Athlete by the National Football Foundation (NFF). The Odessa, Texas, native has a 3.94 GPA and will graduate from Northwest this December with adegree in Biology/Psychology.
Reimer, a native of Menomonee Falls, Wisc., was a first-team All-MIAA selection as a junior. For the season, he has recorded 89 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and has one forced fumble. He has also recorded five quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. Against then-No. 7 Pittsburg State, Reimer recorded 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also forced a fumble, assisted in recording a safety, had a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. The Bearcats are eighth in the NCAA in scoring defense (16.4), 13th in rushing defense (101.5), 16th in passing defense (181.9) and sixth nationally in total defense (283.4). Reimer is a Business Management and Marketing major at Northwest and has a 3.89 GPA.
Northwest will host St. Cloud State this Saturday at noon at Bearcat Stadium in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
— Northwest Sports Information —
