Dave Riggert – Page 834 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Brown, Clarkson leads Mizzou past IUPUI, 78-64

Posted on November 25, 2013

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jabari Brown scored a career-high 24 points and Jordan Clarkson added 22 to help Missouri defeat IUPUI 78-64 on Monday night.

The Tigers finished 5-0 under coach Tim Fuller, who filled in for Frank Haith as the head coach served an NCAA-mandated suspension. Haith will return to the bench for the team’s Thanksgiving matchup against Northwestern in Las Vegas.

Missouri (5-0) scored 13 of the game’s first 17 points and never trailed en route to winning its 22nd consecutive contest at home and its 77th in a row against nonconference opponents at Mizzou Arena.

Missouri’s lone returning starter from a 23-11 season, Brown shot 7-of-12 from the field and 5-of-8 from behind the arc. The junior guard joined the Tigers for the second half of last year after transferring from Oregon, where he only played two games.

Ja’Rob McCallum scored 14 points and Ian Chiles added 12 for IUPUI (1-5), which shot 50 percent from the field in the first half but only 39.4 percent in the second.

Missouri made 50.9 percent of its shots and took a 47-34 halftime lead, but IUPUI hung around, narrowing its deficit to 70-61 with 6:39 left on a jumper from Chiles. Missouri’s Clarkson then scored the game’s next five points to give the Tigers a 14-point lead with 4:13 remaining.

IUPUI’s Chiles averaged 19.2 points per game entering the night to lead the Summit League, but his 12 points were his second-lowest output of the season. McCallum and Justus Stanback combined for 25 points off the Jaguars’ bench, which outscored its counterpart 25-9 for the game after failing to register a point in both of IUPUI’s last two games.

Picked to finish last in the eight-team Summit League after a 6-26 campaign a year ago, IUPUI lost 63-61 to Northwestern on a last-second shot Friday and – with the loss tonight – fell to 0-6 against teams from the Southeastern Conference.

A season-low attendance of 6,065 watched Missouri shoot 8-of-19 from 3-point range after only making two of 14 attempts against Gardner-Webb on Saturday. The Tigers’ campus is on Thanksgiving break.

The game marked the second contest for both teams in the Las Vegas Invitational, but it had no impact on the outcome of the tournament. The schools will travel to Nevada for games on Thanksgiving.

— Associated Press —

Northwest volleyball signs three to 2014 recruiting class

Posted on November 25, 2013

Northwest Missouri State head volleyball coach Amy Woerth has announced the signings of three incoming student-athletes for the 2014-15 academic year. The signing class includes Alexis Williams (Blue Springs, Mo.), Bristol Lewis (Stilwell, Kan.) and Sarah Dannettell (Windsor, Colo.). All three players will be freshmen starting in the fall, 2014.

“All three of these players have the potential to do great things within this program,” said Woerth. “We are looking forward to developing their talents even further.”

Williams is a 5-10 middle who played at Blue Springs High School for coach Katie Grusing. A two-time letter winner, Williams was a Missouri all-star and earned second-team all conference honors. This season, she has recorded over 200 kills, 93 blocks and 30 service aces for the Wildcats. She played club volleyball for the Asics Mavs and coach Debbie Lepley.

“Alexis brings quickness and athleticism to our front row,” explained Woerth. “I like that she has played high level club volleyball and she will add a lot of value to our team both offensively and defensively.”

Lewis played for head coach Nancy Dorsey at St. James Academy, one of the premier high school programs in the Midwest. This year, the Thunder successfully defended the 2013 Kansas 5A state title, finishing a perfect 27-0. Lewis, also an accomplished track and field athlete, won the state title in the 4×400 and took second in the 4×100 as a junior. She has qualified for the state track and field championships three times.

“Bristol played for one of the best high schools in the nation (St.James Academy) and being a state champion not only in volleyball but also track showed us that she’s a winner,” Woerth said. “Her athleticism and winning experiences will be a great addition to our team.”

Dannettell was an all-conference setter for head coach Paul Schimek at Fossil Ridge High School. She earned all-state academic honors as a junior and was a two-time team captain. Dannettell also served as team captain on her club team, Norco 18 Black, where she played for Jarred Ruideger. During her time at Fossil Ridge, she has lettered in volleyball four times, track and field three times and has served two years on the student council executive board.

“When looking for a setter, I wanted to find a player who is a great leader, a hard worker, a competitor and someone who has high character,” said Woerth. “I feel like Sarah embodies all those characteristics very well and she truly understands the responsibilities the setter position requires. I’m excited to see her development and leadership influences on this program.”

— Northwest Sports Information —

Missouri’s Brantley earns weekly SEC football honor

Posted on November 25, 2013

Mizzou Football redshirt freshman DL Harold Brantley (Hershey, Pa.) has been named the Southeastern Conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.

Brantley had two huge plays that impacted the outcome of Mizzou’s 24-10 road win at No. 24 Ole Miss (Nov. 23), as he first blocked a Rebel field goal attempt in second quarter action to snuff out a scoring threat. Mizzou led 7-0 at the time, and Ole Miss drove to the Tiger 1-yardline before being forced to settle for a 23-yard try. Brantley got a big push and blocked the kick to give Mizzou back the ball with its lead intact. Brantley was not originally credited with the block, but a video review determined he was Tiger that denied the Rebel attempt.

The next big play for Brantley came in the third quarter after Ole Miss scored on its opening possession of the second half to cut the Tigers’ lead to 17-10. Mizzou’s offense went 3-and-out, but on 4th-and-2 from the Mizzou 20-yardline it was Brantley’s number that was called on a fake punt. Serving as one of the shield protectors for the punt, Brantley took the direct snap and raced around to the left edge to daylight. He made a nice move to shake one potential tackler near the first down line, and raced 26 yards to the Tiger 46-yardline to squelch the Ole Miss momentum.

Brantley’s recognition, the first of his Tiger career, is the 11th SEC honor for a Mizzou player in 2013, continuing to reset Mizzou’s best for conference honors in a season. Head coach Gary Pinkel’s 2007 squad brought home a total of eight individual honors.

Last season, Mizzou players were recognized as Special Teams Player of the Week three times. Junior TB Marcus Murphy (DeSoto, Texas) earned the honor twice after Mizzou’s wins vs. Southeast Louisiana (Sept. 1, 2012) and at UCF (Sept. 29, 2012). Sophomore PK Andrew Baggett (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) brought home the honor after his performance in the four-overtime win at Tennessee (Nov. 10, 2012).

No. 5 Mizzou (10-1, 6-1) heads into an exciting, sold-out game vs. No. 19 Texas A&M at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field to end the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 30. The contest will kick off at 6:45 p.m. on ESPN

— MU Sports Information —

KSU’s Lockett named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week

Posted on November 25, 2013

After recording a school-record 440 all-purpose yards Saturday against No. 18 Oklahoma, Kansas State wide receiver/kick returner Tyler Lockett was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

The honor was Lockett’s first of the year and the fifth of his career, while K-State has a Big 12-best 24 conference weekly honors since 2011.

Lockett, who reset his own school record with 278 receiving yards, also added 162 yards on five kickoff returns to tally the fifth-best all-purpose output in FBS history and the second best in Big 12 history. His 440 all-purpose yards were nearly 100 more than the previous school record of 351 held by Darren Sproles vs. Louisiana in 2004 and Brandon Banks against Oklahoma in 2009.

During the contest, Lockett also broke the school record for career kickoff-return yards, a mark that now stands at 1,760, while he had three touchdown receptions to tie the school record for a second time this year.

Thanks to his performance, the Tulsa, Okla., product ranks in the school’s top 10 for single-season receptions (6th; 68), receiving yards (4th; 1,103), receiving touchdowns (t9th; 8), all-purpose yards (10th; 1,622), all-purpose yards per game (5th; 162.2) and kickoff return yards (10th; 509).

K-State concludes the regular season Saturday with the Dillons Sunflower Showdown against Kansas at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. The game, which kicks off at 11 a.m., will be televised nationally by FOX Sports 1, while coverage from the K-State Sports Network begins at 9 a.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

St. Louis signs SS Jhonny Peralta to four-year contract

Posted on November 25, 2013November 25, 2013

Free agent shortstop Jhonny Peralta and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed on a four-year contract, giving the All-Star a fresh start after his Biogenesis drug suspension last summer.

The Cardinals filled a need by getting a top-hitting shortstop a month after losing the World Series in six games to Boston. Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso, while generally good fielders, are light hitters.

The deal was expected to be worth more than $50 million.

”We are pleased to announce that Jhonny has agreed to terms and I know he is equally excited to be joining the Cardinals,” general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. ”Jhonny is among the game’s top offensive shortstops, he’s a steady defender and he has experience playing for a contender. He gives us proven veteran experience and brings balance and versatility to our everyday lineup. ”

But the move drew a different reaction from a couple other big leaguers.

”It pays to cheat… Thanks, owners, for encouraging PED use,” Arizona pitcher Brad Ziegler tweeted.

”Apparently getting suspended for PED’s means you get a raise. What’s stopping anyone from doing it? (hashtag)weneedtomakeachange,” free agent pitcher David Aardsma tweeted.

The 31-year-old Peralta was suspended 50 games last season as a result of Major League Baseball’s investigation in the Biogenesis case involving performance-enhancing drugs. He returned to the Detroit Tigers in late September and played in the postseason, both in left field and at shortstop.

Shortly before Peralta was penalized, the Tigers acquired young shortstop Jose Iglesias from Boston in a three-team trade.

Peralta hit .303 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs in 107 games during the regular season, then batted .333 with one homer, four doubles and six RBIs in 10 playoff games.

The two-time All-Star is a career .268 hitter with 156 homers and 698 RBIs in 11 seasons with Cleveland and Detroit.

The NL champion Cardinals have been busy since the season ended. A few days ago, they sent third baseman David Freese, a hometown product and the 2011 World Series MVP, to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Peter Bourjos in a four-player trade.

The Cardinals cut about $45 million off last season’s payroll, and wanted to plug a hole at shortstop. St. Louis lost All-Star Rafael Furcal in spring training for the whole year because of elbow surgery.

Detroit did not extend a qualifying offer to Peralta, meaning there would be no compensation draft pick involved in his move from the AL Central champions to the NL Central winners.

Earlier this offseason, the Tigers traded first baseman Prince Fielder to Texas for second baseman Ian Kinsler in a swap of All-Stars with rich contracts.

— Associated Press —

Chiefs blow late lead and lose at home to San Diego

Posted on November 24, 2013

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Philip Rivers called it the kind of game that could save the Chargers’ season. Seyi Ajirotutu called its defining play the greatest catch of his career.

The once-embattled quarterback stoically marched San Diego downfield against Kansas City on Sunday, and then found his unheralded wide receiver with a 26-yard scoring strike with 24 seconds remaining that gave San Diego a 41-38 victory and ended its three-game losing streak.

“It’s one of those you’ll never forget, that’s for sure,” said Rivers, who threw for 392 yards and three touchdowns against a Kansas City defense that had been among the NFL’s best.

“It’s kind of what our season’s been about,” Rivers said. “Can you drive and score at the end?”

The touchdown pass to Ajirotutu answered one that Alex Smith had thrown to Dwayne Bowe with 1:22 left in the game — one that had seemingly given the Chiefs (9-2) the victory.

It turned out there’d be more lead change in a game that had eight of them.

“Philip said, `Fly on the boundary,” Ajirotutu said, “so I knew that’s a little code word that he usually says that the ball’s coming to you.”

Smith wound up throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns for the Chiefs, who lost their second straight after a 9-0 start. They also lost top pass rushers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston to injuries, and now face the prospect of playing the Broncos next week without them.

Hali has a sprained right ankle and Houston a sprained left elbow, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid said that both of them are due for MRI exams on Monday.

“I’m not making excuses,” Reid said. “The next guy has to come in and we expect them to step up and make plays. There’s no excuses.”

San Diego (5-6) finished with 491 yards of offense against a Chiefs defense that had allowed more than 17 points just once: last week’s 27-17 defeat in Denver.

Danny Woodhead had touchdowns rushing and receiving as he picked up the slack for Chargers running back Ryan Mathews, who left with a hamstring injury. Ladarius Green had a 60-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, while Keenan Allen had nine catches for 124 yards.

Of course, it was Rivers who made the entire offense sing.

“I’ll tell you right now, we’ve got a great quarterback,” Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. “There was no doubt in my mind at the end of the game he was going out and scoring.”

Jamaal Charles added 115 yards rushing and two touchdowns for the Chiefs, while Donnie Avery had four catches for 91 yards and a score in their best offensive game of the year.

“I mean, you’d like to take positives away form games,” Smith said, “but right now it wasn’t enough. We didn’t do enough as a team to come out on top.”

The game turned into a back-and-forth nail-biter in the second half.

San Diego pulled ahead 17-14 when a 54-yard pass to Eddie Royal set up a 1-yard TD run by Mathews. But the Chargers helped the Chiefs take the lead right back with three pass interference penalties that gave them the ball at the San Diego 1. Charles’ second touchdown made it 21-17.

The Chargers’ struggling defensive backfield got one back on the Chiefs’ next series. Shareece Wright, who had one of those pass interference penalties, batted a pass to Marcus Gilchrist, who had one of the others. The interception set up Woodhead’s 3-yard touchdown run.

Kansas City retook the lead at 28-24 on Smith’s short pass to Anthony Fasano, but after the teams traded chip-shot field goals, the Chargers took it right back.

Rivers hit Green on a quick slant, and the tight end ran 60 yards for his first career touchdown. It gave the Chargers a 34-31 lead with 7:50 left.

The Chiefs answered the call, only for the Chargers to trump them in the end.

“That’s what the game’s all about,” McCoy said. “When the game’s on the line, who’s going to come up and make the big play? Who’s going to make the big stop?”

— Associated Press —

Northwest women lose non-conference game at Pitt State

Posted on November 24, 2013

The Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team fell to Pittsburg State Sunday in a non-conference game, 51-44.

Northwest struggled in the first half going 8-for-23 from the floor and 2-for-7 from behind the three point line, shooting 35 percent as a team. PSU was able to capitalize on second chance points outscoring the Bearcats 12-4. Northwest trailed going into the half, 26-22.

The Bearcats came out tough in the second half tying the game up 33-33 with under 13 minutes to play. The Gorillas then went on a 12-2 run to go up 45-35, and Northwest could not recover as PSU took the game 51-44.

Annie Mathews and Monique Stevens both finished the game with double-digit points as they scored 12 and 10, respectively.

The Bearcats move their season record to 1-4 and will play host to the College of Saint Mary Saturday, with tip-off scheduled for 4 pm.

— Northwest Sports Information —

Griffon men suffer second straight loss as they struggle at Illinois-Springfield

Posted on November 24, 2013November 24, 2013

The Missouri Western men’s basketball team gave up a 26-12 run midway through the second half to Illinois-Springfield which gave them their second straight loss this time by a score of 88-73. The Griffons turned the ball over a season high 17 times and made just 24-of-68 shots on the evening. Ryan Devers and Cortrez Colbert finished with 17 and 16 points respectively while Cedric Clinkscales had 11 rebounds. The Griffons fall to 3-3 on the season.

The Griffons took their first lead of the game at the 14:35 mark of the first half after a layup by Dareon Jones at 10-9. The Griffons last lead of the game came shortly after when Adarius Fulton hit a three giving MWSU a 15-13. The rest of the half belonged the Prairiestars as they outscored the Griffons by eight the rest of the half taking a 38-32 lead into the half.

The second half was close until midway through the half when UIS went on their big run. The Prairiestars finished the night hitting 50-percent (32-64) of their shots and 53.3-percent (8-15) of their long range shots. They had six players in double figures with Regan Bruenger finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Jacob Williams had a double-double scoring 14 points and snaring 12 rebounds.

UIS dominated the points in the paint outscoring the Griffons 38-18 and had 18 points off turnovers to the Griffons 11. They improve to 2-2 on the season.

Dzenan Mrkaljevic finished with 13 points while Jones had 10 off the bench. The Griffons return to action on Monday, November 25 with a non-conference game against Upper Iowa University. Game time is set for 7:00 pm in the fieldhouse.

— MWSU Sport Information —

No. 8 Missouri moves to 10-1 with win at No. 24 Ole Miss

Posted on November 24, 2013November 24, 2013

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars.

But as a collective they’re an awfully tough bunch to beat, and the Tigers are now one victory away from playing for a Southeastern Conference championship in just their second season in the league.

Henry Josey rushed for two touchdowns, Marcus Murphy added another and No. 8 Missouri rolled to a 24-10 victory over No. 24 Mississippi on Saturday night.

”To say I’m proud of my football team and my staff would be an understatement,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. ”They battle every time they play. They prepare well and focus at a very high level.”

The Tigers strolled into a hostile environment at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and never flinched, jumping out to a 17-3 lead by halftime for the relatively easy victory.

Now the big one awaits for the Tigers (10-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference). The Tigers host Texas A&M next weekend, with a win clinching the SEC’s East Division title.

James Franklin completed 12 of 19 passes for 142 yards and an interception in his first start since a shoulder injury caused him to miss four games.

”I thought he did an outstanding job,” Pinkel said. ”The guy hadn’t played in six weeks and there was a lot of pressure on him to play well.”

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Ole Miss (7-4, 3-4). Bo Wallace threw for 244 yards and an interception, but was battling an illness for much of the game and struggled during the second half.

Donte Moncrief caught six passes for 115 yards, but dropped what would have been a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

Ole Miss made three trips to the red zone, but managed just three points.

”It’s impossible to beat a top 10 team when you get in the red zone and don’t score touchdowns or points,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. ”… If you don’t score some points in the red zone against that team you aren’t going to win.”

It’s the fourth 10-win season for Missouri in the past seven years and was coach Gary Pinkel’s 100th win with the Tigers.

The Tigers’ used a deep running back rotation to slowly wear down the Ole Miss defense. Josey had most of the big plays, but Russell Hansbrough and Murphy combined for 99 more yards, helping Missouri shorten the game in the second half with time-consuming drives.

Missouri jumped out to a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter after a blistering eight-play, 72-yard drive that took less than three minutes. Andrew Baggett added a 33-yard field goal and Murphy scored on a 3-yard run in the second quarter as the Tigers took a 17-3 halftime lead.

The Tigers finished with 485 total yards, including 260 on the ground.

”We’re just a focused team,” Missouri linebacker Andrew Wilson said. ”The coaches did a good job keeping us focused. We had a great gameplan. We knew what we had to do.”

Franklin – making his first start since suffering a shoulder injury Oct. 12 – completed 7 of 7 passes for 89 yards in the first half.

The Ole Miss offense had a few opportunities to match Missouri, but kept blowing opportunities in the red zone. The litany of errors included two false start penalties, one blocked field goal attempt and several unsuccessful running plays.

But the Rebels regrouped in the third quarter, pulling within 17-10 on the opening drive of the second half on I’Tavius Mathers’ 45-yard run. The sophomore bounced off a few would-be tacklers and then dashed down the left sideline, outrunning a pair of Mizzou defenders into the end zone.

The momentum was short lived. Missouri responded with an 86-yard touchdown drive that ended on Josey’s second touchdown of the night and the Tigers had a 24-10 lead.

Bo Wallace completed 20 of 28 passes for 172 yards and an interception in the first half, but didn’t start the second half because he was sick. Wallace and backup Barry Brunetti split snaps in the second half, but neither had much success.

Moncrief had a productive night, but his dropped pass in the end zone was a microcosm of the Rebels’ frustrating night. Ole Miss could have cut Missouri’s lead to 24-17 with eight minutes remaining, but instead turned the ball over on downs one play later and Missouri went on to its third straight victory.

— Associated Press —

Western women hold off Rockhurst to stay unbeaten

Posted on November 24, 2013November 24, 2013

The Missouri Western women’s basketball team were able to win a defensive struggle in their first road game of the season by a score of 63-59 against the Rockhurst University Hawks. The Griffons outscored the Hawks 9-4 in the final 4:47 of the game keeping them undefeated on the season at 4-0. The Griffons had 12 players score in the game with Sharniece Lewis leading the way with 10 points.

The first half was a back and fourth battle with neither team leading by more than three points. The Griffons largest lead was at 29-27 when Quenisha Lockett hit a free throw with 2:19 to play in the first half. Kendall Hart’s layup with 14 second left helped the Hawks close the half on a 7-4 run giving them a 34-33 lead.

Missouri Western opened the second half an a 9-3 run helping them to their largest lead of the game at 42-37 after an Ariana Novak free throw with 15:22 to play in the game. The Hawks responded going on a 13-6 run which was capped by Mary Dineen giving Rockhust the 50-48 lead with 9:11 to play. The teams continued to back and forth but with two free throws by Lewis with 4:20 to play gave the Griffons the lead for good.

The Griffons shots just 31-percent (18-58) from the field and 29.4-percent (5-17) from long range. They did make 71-percent (22-31) of their free throws. MWSU had 20 offensive rebounds and 14 second chance points. They also had 33 bench points and nine assists in the contest.

The Hawks fall to 3-2 on the season as they had three players score in double figures. Dineen led the way with 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting and going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. The Hawks made 29-of-36 free throw attempts in the game.

The Griffons return to action on Friday, November 29 when they travel to Springfield, Mo. to participate in the Doubletree/Houlihans Thanksgiving Classic. They will take on the Drury Panthers at 5:30 pm in the O’Reilly Family Event Center.

— MWSU Sport Information —