When 7-foot center Garrett Stutz was 4 of 20 from beyond the 3-point line this season, Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall heard the criticism.

“People argued he shouldn’t be shooting 3s,” Marshall said. “I told them it just wasn’t a big enough sample size.”

No one will be arguing after Wednesday night, when Stutz went 4 of 4 on 3-pointers attempts and scored 21 points to lead No. 24 Wichita State to its fifth straight victory, 73-58 over Missouri State.

Stutz, who was 7 of 8 from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds, said his long-range shooting surprised him, too.

“I was awful in warmups, honestly,” he said. “I was hoping nobody was paying attention.”

The Shockers (23-4, 14-2), who were playing their first game as a ranked team since 2006-07, clinched at least a tie for the Missouri Valley Conference title. Ben Smith had 14 points and David Kyles added 12 for Wichita State, 10 coming in a decisive second-half run.

Wichita State has won 13 of 14, the only loss coming in triple-overtime at Drake.

Anthony Downing had 17 points and Caleb Patterson added 14 for Missouri State (16-12, 9-7), which had a three-game winning streak snapped.

Wichita State had twice as many turnovers as Missouri State and took 22 fewer shots. But the Shockers shot 59.5 percent.

“They just have so many different pieces,” Bears coach Paul Lusk said. “And they’re unbelievable in transition.”

Wichita State led by as many as 10 points in the first half but Missouri State closed the half on a 12-4 run to trail 34-32.

Kyles scored 10 points and had two 3-pointers in less than 3 minutes during the 15-3 run that gave Wichita State a 56-42 lead with 10:17 remaining. The Bears never threatened after that.

Wichita State made 8 of 9 shots during one first-half stretch, and Stutz hit three 3-pointers in helping build a 30-20 lead.

“Stutz gives them a guy they can always throw it inside to,” Lusk said. “When he goes out and hits 3s, what are you going to do?”

Consecutive 3-pointers from Downing and Nathan Scheer sparked a 12-2 run that pulled Missouri State even at 32-all with 35 seconds to play in the half. Two free throws by Kyles gave Wichita State a slim 34-32 halftime lead despite shooting 60 percent.

“Our guys hung in there,” Lusk said. “We fought hard, battled.”

Stutz scored two quick baskets on a tip-in and dunk, and Demetric Williams swished a transition 3-pointer. Just 92 seconds into the half, the Shockers led 41-32 and forced a Missouri State timeout.

But the Bears went on another run to stay close, as Isaiah Rhine’s baseline jumper giving Missouri State seven straight points to get within two.

The Shockers answered with 3-pointers from Williams and Kyles, followed by a layup by Kyles off a steal by Joe Ragland — eight straight points in 60 seconds to put Wichita State ahead 49-39 with 12:39 remaining.

“We found our rhythm,” Smith said. “Our emotions have been pretty good, and we found good shots.”

Kyles made a contested 3-pointer and weaved his way through traffic for a transition floater with 10:17 to play, increasing the lead to 56-42.

Kyles had 10 points in less than 3 minutes, a point better than his season average.

“I thought our press was very effective,” Marshall said. “It helped turn the tempo in our favor.”

Three-pointers from Ragland and Stutz in an 18-second span made it 64-47 with 6:48 remaining.

Kyle Weems, Missouri State’s leading scorer, had 10 points (six below his average) on 4-of-14 shooting.

“Ben did a great job on Weems,” Marshall said. “That was huge. And to add 14 points when you’re working that hard on the other end, he was great.”

— Associated Press —

Anthony Downing had 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Caleb Patterson added 14 points as Missouri State defeated Bradley 64-53 on Sunday.

Kyle Weems scored 11 points for the Bears (16-11, 9-6 Missouri Valley), giving him 1,800 for his career. He is the 26th player in MVC history to reach that milestone.

Dyricus Simms-Edwards had 18 points and six rebounds, and Walt Lemon Jr. had 13 points for the Braves (7-20, 2-13), who shot 29.8 percent (17 of 57) from the floor.

Keith Pickens gave Missouri State the lead for good, 41-40, on a jumper with 12:13 remaining, and neither team scored for more than four minutes afterward. While Bradley stayed cold, the Bears got separation, as Patterson made back-to-back baskets to spark a 21-11 run over the final 6:56.

Patterson, in his second game back after missing three contests with an ankle injury, made 5 of 11 shots from the field.

Jordan Prosser had 10 points for Bradley.

— Associated Press —

Caleb Patterson scored 18 points off the bench, Kyle Weems added 14 — including a tip-in with 42 seconds left that proved to be the game-winning score — and Missouri State held on to beat Southern Illinois 56-54 on Wednesday night.

Weems tipped in a missed Anthony Downing layup to give the Bears (15-11, 8-6 Missouri Valley) a 56-52 lead. Jeff Early got the Salukis (8-17, 5-9) back within two on a layup with 27 seconds left.

SIU then fouled Jarmar Gulley, who missed the front end of a one-and-one to give the Salukis a chance to tie or go ahead. But Mamadou Seck’s jumper in the closing seconds was off the mark.

Seck led SIU with 14 points on 7-of-13 shooting. The Salukis attempted only 10 free throws and made just three of them.

The victory was only Missouri State’s eighth in 29 games against Southern Illinois in Carbondale.

— Associated Press —

Missouri State University has finalized its 2012 football schedule, an 11-game slate that will feature five home games, trips to two FBS opponents and a new league opponent.

Seventh-year head coach Terry Allen and the Division I FCS Bears begin the season with road games at Kansas State on Sept. 1 and Louisville on Sept. 8. The Bears are 0-2 all-time against the Big XII Wildcats, a team coming off a 10-3 campaign and Cotton Bowl appearance. This will be the first meeting between the Bears and Louisville. The Big East Cardinals were 7-6 in 2011 and made an appearance in the Belk Bowl.

Allen’s squad will play its home opener on Sept. 15 against Ohio Valley Conference power Murray State. The Bears are 1-6 all-time against the Racers who are coming off a 7-4 campaign.

The two-game home stand continues on Sept. 22 with a Family Weekend battle against rival Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for both teams. The Bears are 17-17 all-time against the Salukis.

Missouri State closes out the month of September at South Dakota State on Sept. 29. The Jackrabbits were 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the MVFC last season to tie for fourth place. MSU is seeking its first-ever win against SDSU after four previous meetings.

October begins with a road game at Indiana State on Oct. 6. The Sycamores will be looking for a solid homecoming outing after a 6-5 season in which they were 4-4 in conference action. The Bears lead ISU 16-10 overall with the teams splitting the last six meetings.

MSU returns to Plaster Field on Oct. 16 for their first-ever matchup with MVFC newcomer South Dakota. The Coyotes were 6-5 in 2011 and will make The Valley a 10-team league for the first time. The USD game will be the centerpiece of Showcase weekend at Missouri State.

On Oct. 20, Missouri State will continue conference play at Illinois State. The Redbirds were 7-4 last season, narrowly missing an FCS playoff bid and finishing 5-3 (third place) in the conference. MSU is 14-17-1 all-time against ISU.

Conference play returns to Springfield on Oct. 27 for a homecoming challenge from Western Illinois. The Bears have won three in a row from the Leathernecks in a series that is now tied 15-15-1. WIU was 2-9 last season and finished 1-7 in the MVFC to finish in ninth place.

The Bears will celebrate Senior Day in style on Nov. 3 with a visit from the defending Division I champions of North Dakota State. The Bison capped a 14-1 season with their first FCS title in 2011. NDSU shared the Valley regular-season title with Northern Iowa last year with identical 7-1 conference marks. The Bears are 2-2 all-time against the Bison with wins in two of the last three meetings against the defending national champs.

After a week off, the 2012 regular season will conclude at Northern Iowa on Nov. 17. Missouri State is 5-27 all-time against the Panthers and will look to end a six-game losing streak to UNI, which was an FCS playoff qualifier in 2011 and finished 10-3 overall.

All of the 2012 home games are slated to begin at 1 p.m. at Plaster Field, which has been the home of the Bears since 1941.

— MSU Sports Information —

Missouri State University has announced the receipt of National Letters of Intent from 20 high school and junior college students who have committed to play football for the Bears this fall.  The class includes 12 high school seniors and eight transfers.

“We were able to get most of the players we targeted, and we are very excited about this year’s class,” said head coach Terry Allen, who will begin his seventh season with the Bears in 2012. “We have a good group of local players and have addressed some immediate needs with transfers.”

The recruits are from eight different states, including eight from Missouri.

Missouri State’s high school commitments are:

Ryan Boatright (TE, 6-4, 233, Fr., Jenks, Okla., Jenks High)

Was an all-district pick at tight end in 2011 for Coach Allan Trimble at Jenks (Okla.) High … Started three seasons and finished with 41 receptions for 5 touchdowns … Helped lead Jenks to an 11-3 record and Oklahoma state semifinal appearance in 2011 as well as state finals trips in 2009 (12-2) and 2010 (13-1) … Is also in his fourth year as a starter on the Jenks basketball team.

Khellan Bruce (DL, 6-2, 285, Fr., Memphis, Tenn., Central High)

Four-year starter on the defensive line at Central High in Memphis, Tenn. … Recorded 46 tackles, 14 for loss, 2 sacks and 3 blocked kicks for Coach Lynord Crutchfield his senior season … Earned preseason all-state honors as well as all-city, all-district, all-metro, and all-conference postseason honors for the Warriors in 2011 … Was a second-team all-district and all-city defensive tackles his junior season … Also helped the Central track team to three straight conference titles as a standout shot and discus thrower.

Dylan Cole (ATH, 6-0, 206, Fr., Rogersville, Mo., Logan-Rogersville High)

Standout local product who was a Missouri Class 3 consensus all-state RB after he compiled 2,002 rushing yards on 225 carries for 33 touchdowns for the state champions at Logan-Rogersville High in 2011 … Also caught 23 passes for 511 yards and another 10 scores for Coach Doug Smith … Wildcats were 14-1 this fall … Likely to play linebacker for the Bears after he registered 102 total tackles, 7 for loss and a pair of interceptions as a senior … Rushed for 75 yards and had 5 tackles in the Show-Me Bowl win over John Burroughs in St. Louis … Named MHSFCA Offensive Player of the Year in 2011 as well as Central Ozarks Co-Offensive Player of the Year and SWMFCA Offensive Player of the Year … Was also all-conference, all-region, All-Ozarks and all-district at both RB and DB in 2011 … Carried 210 times for 1,492 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior with 1,816 all-purpose yards and 20 scores … Was a third-team all-state RB in 2010 as well as all-district, All-Ozarks, all-region and all-conference … Played for four state playoff teams and three district championship teams and finished his career with 4,172 rushing yards and 61 ground touchdowns.

A.J. Eaves (OL, 6-5, 280, Fr., Lamar, Mo., Lamar High)

Played right guard as a high school senior for Coach Scott Bailey at Lamar (Mo.) High … Helped lead an offense that compiled more than 6,500 total yards and earned the Missouri Class 2 state title in 2011… Earned Class 2 all-state and All-Ozarks honors in 2011 as well as all-conference and All-Ozarks recognition … Provided spark for Lamar offense to rack up 442 yards of total offense in Show-Me Bowl victory over Lafayette County … Was third-team all-state as a junior along with second-team all-conference and first-team all-district for the state semifinalists … Was part of four straight district championship teams at Lamar … Also plays basketball and baseball.

David Godsey (OL, 6-5, 260, Fr., Raymore, Mo., Raymore-Peculiar High)

Was a three-year letterman for Coach Tom Kruse at Raymore-Peculiar (Mo.) High School … Was a Suburban Big 6 all-conference selection at offensive tackle as a senior … Was a Top 100 selection at the NUC Combine last summer … Played offensive line and long snapper at Ray-Pec and was part of two playoff teams and a conference championship squad … Also a black belt in tae kwan do.

Zac Hoover (WR, 6-0, 180, Fr., Grain Valley, Mo., Grain Valley High)

A Missouri Class 4 all-state second team selection as a senior, Hoover accounted for 26 touchdowns in 2011 for Coach Jimmy Tucker at Grain Valley High … Pulled in 15 touchdown receptions as a senior … Also accounted for 1,600 all-purpose yards, including 11 rushing touchdowns … In 2011, he earned all-state, all-conference, all-area and all-metro honors along with KMZU Dream Team distinction … Was also all-conference and all-area as a junior and was part of a state playoff team in 2009 … Finished his career with 108 receptions and 38 touchdowns … Was also an all-state wrestler and hurdler as a junior at Grain Valley, finishing third in the state wrestling tournament as a junior (31-12) and sixth in the 110 high hurdles.

Jarvis Jones (ATH, 6-1, 190, Fr., Webb City, Mo., Webb City High)

A standout receiver and defensive back at Webb City (Mo.) High, Jones will give Missouri State an athletic option at multiple positions … Tallied 30 catches for 712 yards and 7 touchdowns for Coach John Roderique as a senior … Helped lead the Cardinals to back-to-back Missouri Class 4 titles and 15-0 seasons in 2010 and 2011 … Teams were 43-1 in his three seasons as a letterman for the Cardinals … Was a first-team all-state defensive back as well as all-district, all-conference, all-region and All-Ozarks selection in 2011 … Snagged 13 receptions for 186 yards as a junior while earning honorable mention all-region distinction … Had 45 catches for 944 yards in his career … Ran a 10.94 in the 100-meter dash at the 2011 Class 4 state meet to finish fourth and also anchored the fourth-place 4×100 relay team.

Tre Kelly (WR, 6-3, 195, Fr., Edmond, Okla., Santa Fe High)

Was an all-state receiver for Coach Lance Manning at Santa Fe High in Edmond, Okla. … Snagged 52 receptions for 746 yards and 7 touchdowns as a senior for the Wolves … Selected to play in the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-Star Game in July … Earned all-state, All-Vype, and all-city for the district champs in 2011 … Was also named the Class 6A co-receiver of the year for District 2 … Made the Vype All-Central Oklahoma second team in 2011, along with All-Edmond first team honors.

Cedric Miller, Jr. (RB, 6-0, 205, Fr., Memphis, Tenn., Southwind High)

A big running back with the game-changing speed, Miller rushed 232 times for 1,975 yards and 31 touchdowns as a prep senior at Memphis (Tenn.) Southwind High … Also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as a senior and compiled 2,495 all-purpose yards while averaging 22.3 points … Coached by his father, Cedric Miller, Sr., he earned all-state, all-conference and all-metro honors and helped the Jaguars to a 7-3 finish and state playoff appearance in 2011 …Collected 675 yards on just 75 carries as a junior, but earned a reputation as an all-conference and all-metro defensive back with 112 tackles, 23 for loss and a pair of interceptions … Notched 68 tackles, 15 for loss and 3 picks as a sophomore … Is also a standout sprinter as part of a state championship 4×100 relay team in 2010 and qualified for state in three relays and the 200-meter dash  in 2011 … Played varsity soccer two seasons.

Sam Schwartze (OL, 6-4, 280, Fr., Springfield, Mo., Springfield Catholic High)

Two-year starter at left tackle for Coach Bobby Cornelison at Springfield (Mo.) Catholic High … Was limited to four games as a senior due to a foot injury, but did not allow a sack … Earned all-conference and all-district honorable mention honors in 2011 after garnering first-team honors as a junior on both teams … Part of three district championship teams … Did not allow any sacks in 12 games as a junior … Also threw the discus his freshman season.

Riley Shantz (OL, 6-4, 295, Fr., Springfield, Mo., Glendale High)

A December high school graduate, Shantz is already enrolled at Missouri State and will participate in spring workouts for the Bears … Three-year starter at guard and center for Coach Joel Heman at Glendale High in Springfield … Led team to an 8-2 overall record, district title and Ozark Conference runner-up finish in 2011 as a standout center … Was a second-team Class 5 all-state pick as a senior as well as all-conference, all-district and All-Ozarks honoree.

Colby Wickwar (LS, 6-0, 200, Fr., Nixa, Mo., Nixa High)

Was a three-year starter at long snapper for Coach Rich Rehagan at Nixa (Mo.) High and was a starter on the offensive line as a senior … Helped lead Eagles to a 10-2 record, district title and a state playoff berth in 2011 … He earned honorable mention all-conference distinction as a senior and was named NHS Special Teams MVP … Attended Kohl’s national showcase events before his junior and senior seasons, placing second at the Texas event in 2010 and 7th at the Orlando event in 2010.

Missouri State’s junior college commitments are:

Patrick Blanar (OL, 6-3, 295, Jr., El Mirage, Ariz., Cactus High, Scottsdale [Ariz.] CC)

Already enrolled at Missouri State, he will participate in spring workouts for the Bears … Two-year starter for Coach Doug Madowski at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College, Blanar started 21 straight games on the Artichokes’ offensive line … Led squad to a 7-4 mark and runner-up finish in the WSFL as a sophomore in 2011 … Was a two-year starter and three-time letterman for coach Larry Fetkenheir at Cactus High in Glendale, Ariz. … Helped the Cobras to a 13-1 record and 2009 Arizona state title his senior season while earning all-state, all-region and Arizona Top 25 distinction … Was also part of a regional championship team as a sophomore and earned all-region first team honors in 2008 and 2009.

Kerry Burks (DL, 6-2, 270, Jr., Tulsa, Okla., McClain High, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M)

As a sophomore at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Burkes registered 88 tackles, 10 for loss and a conference-best 8 sacks for Coach Dale Patterson … His tackle total was second in the conference … Earned All-Southwest Junior College Conference first-team honors in 2011 … Was a prep all-state pick as a senior for Coach Dan Bitson and McClain High in Tulsa.

Seginald Chaney (LB, 5-10, 221, So., Jacksonville, Fla., Terry Parker High, Independence [Kan.] CC)

Chaney is already enrolled at Missouri State and will take part in spring drills … Compiled 69 tackles and a pair of sacks last season at Independence (Kan.) Community College, while taking over the starting linebacker role and also playing special teams … Redshirted as a true freshman in 2010 … Was a three-year starter for coaches Jim Scible (2008) and Greg Stanton (2006-07) at Terry Parker High in Jacksonville, Fla. … Led Braves to a 7-3 record as a standout linebacker his senior season.

Adam Dixon (CB, 5-10, 185, Jr., Laveen, Ariz., Cesar Chavez High, Scottsdale [Ariz.] CC)

A sensational athlete with a 3-star rating by Rivals.com, Cole played 7 games as a sophomore last season for Coach Doug Madoski at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College … Compiled 9 tackles, 3 pass break-ups and a forced fumbles in 2011 … Accounted for 4 interceptions at Scottsdale as well … Was a track and football standout at Cesar Chavez High in Laveen, Ariz. … Tallied 79 tackles, 4 blocked punts, 4 break-ups and a pair of forced fumbles as a senior for Coach Jim Rattay … Was a two-time Arizona North-South All-Star Game participant and 2009 all-state and all-region selection … Was part of a nationally-ranked 4×100-meter relay team that ran a 40.90 at the state meet … Has registered a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash and has a 31-inch vertical.

Spencer Emerson (DL, 6-2, 335, Jr., Clive, Iowa, Dowling Catholic High, Ellsworth [Iowa] CC)

Enrolled at MSU and will participate in spring drills … Played last two seasons at Ellsworth (Iowa) Community College for Coach Mike Virden … Was part of four conference championship teams for Coach Tom Wilson at Dowling Catholic High in West Des Moines, Iowa … Maroons were 13-1 his senior season in 2009 and finished as state runners-up … Was an elite all-state first-team pick in 2009 as well as an all-conference and all-city selection … Dowling High was 9-3 and reached the state quarterfinals his junior year.

Tim Piccarreto (LB, 6-2, 240, Jr., Fort Collins, Colo. Poudre High, Glendale [Ariz.] CC)

Finished third on the team in total tackles with 57 for Coach Mickey Bell at Glendale (Ariz.) Community College in 2011 … Led Glendale to an 8-4 record and berth in the Valley of the Sun Bowl last season … Earned all-conference and all-state distinction as a senior at Poudre High in Fort Collins, Colo. … Helped Coach Steve Bradley’s team to a 10-3 record and state semifinal run as a standout middle linebacker his senior season (2008) … Posted 111 total tackles and earned second-team all-state and first-team all-conference distinction while … Was also a three-year letterman in wrestling.

Jeremiah Plowden (S, 5-11, 180, Jr., Wichita, Kan., Southeast High, Fort Scott [Kan.] CC)

Was a two-year starter for Coach Curtis Horton at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College, earning honorable mention all-conference distinction as a sophomore in 2011 … Was a three-sport standout at Southeast High in Wichita, Kan., where he played basketball, football and track … Passed for over 1,200 yards as a senior and earned all-city honorable mention laurels … Also played cornerback.

C.J. Randall (DL, 6-5, 270, Jr., Gilbert, Ariz., Mesquite High, Glendale [Ariz.] CC)

A standout junior college defensive end, Randall posted 41 tackles, 8 for loss and 3 sacks as a sophomore for Coach Mickey Bell at Glendale (Ariz.) Community College … Led team to an 8-4 record and berth in the Valley of the Sun Bowl in 2011 … Earned all-conference, all-region and all-state as a standout defensive lineman at Mesquite (Texas) High.

— MSU Sports Information —

Kyle Weems had 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead Missouri State past Northern Iowa 63-51 on Saturday.

Anthony Downing scored 16 points and Jarmar Gulley matched Weems with 10 rebounds for the Bears (13-10, 6-5 Missouri Valley). Michael Bizoukas had seven assists for Missouri State.

Seth Tuttle had nine points to lead Northern Iowa (14-9, 4-7), which has dropped five of its last six games. The Panthers led 9-3 before Missouri State used a 20-4 run to take control of the game.

The Bears led 34-24 at halftime — with Weems scoring 18 of his points before the break — and enjoyed their biggest margin at 57-39 with 4:52 to play.

— Associated Press —

Jackie Carmichael had 26 points and 16 rebounds and Illinois State defeated Missouri State 76-69 in overtime Wednesday night.

Carmichael’s basket with 1:09 left in the extra period gave the Redbirds (13-8, 5-5 Missouri Valley) the lead for good at 69-67. Jon Ekey was the only other Illinois State player in double figures, scoring all 10 of his points in the first half.

Missouri State (12-10, 5-5) jumped to a 23-12 lead in the first half and led 34-25 at the break. Kyle Weems led the Bears with 15 points, while Christian Kirk had 11 points and nine rebounds and Jarmar Gulley added 10 points.

The Bears were just 5 of 14 from the free-throw line, though Weems made a pair with 20 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. The Redbirds were 24 for 33 at the line, led by Carmichael who was 10 for 12.

— Associated Press —

Caleb Patterson scored 16 points and sank the go-ahead basket with 1:09 left as Missouri State nudged Bradley 51-48 on Saturday night.

After Patterson’s shot broke a 45-45 tie, Kyle Weems hit two free throws to put the Bears up 49-45. Walt Lemon Jr.’s 3-pointer brought Bradley within 49-48 with 4 seconds left before Nathan Scheer added two foul shots for the final margin.

Weems added 15 points to notch his 100th career double-digit game for the Bears (12-9, 5-4 Missouri Valley), who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Taylor Brown led the Braves (6-15, 1-8) with 17 points. Jordan Prosser had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Lemon scored 13.

Bradley shot just 37 percent (20 of 54), but Missouri State was worse at 35 percent (17 of 49).

Neither team ever led by more than six points.

— Associated Press —

Two Missouri State football Bears, Zack Cooley (RFr., OT, Lebanon, Mo.) and Mike Crutcher (RFr., S, Wentzville, Mo.) are part of the first College Sports Journal All-Freshman Team, the CSJ released this week.

The squad of 40 newcomers were selected for making significant national-scale contributions in their first year of playing college football. The 2011 team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of FCS experts put together by College Sports Journal executive editor David Coulson and CSJ publisher and managing editor Chuck Burton.

Cooley — a 6-5, 284-pound offensive lineman — started all 11 games at left tackle for the Bears in 2011. He had an assignment grade of 98 percent for the season and an execution grade of 75 percent. His overall season grade of 82 percent was highlighted by 57 knock-down blocks. Cooley was named MSU Offensive Lineman of the Week on Oct. 22.

Crutcher — a 6-2, 198-pound safety —  also started all 11 games this season. He was one of 22 finalist for the Jerry Rice Award presented to the FCS National Freshman of the Year and finished 14th in the season-end voting. He finished his freshman season with 83 total tackles, including team-high 45 solo stops. Crutcher also had one sack, one interception and broke up three passes. He finished 13th in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in total tackles (7.54) and had at least 6 tackles in 9-of-11 games. Additionally, he was named MSU Media Player of the Week on Sept. 3 for his efforts against Arkansas in the season opener.

Missouri State finished 2-9 in 2011, but ended the season with wins in two of its final four games, in addition to a double-overtime loss in that span. MSU was 2-6 in the MVFC to tie for seventh place.

— MSU Sports Information —