ST. JOSEPH – For more than 20 minutes, it looked like the fifth-ranked Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team would suffer its first loss of the season, but an improbable comeback lifted the Griffons to 18-0 on the season with a 77-75 win over No. 3 Fort Hays State.

With 34 seconds left in the game, Sarafina Handy knocked down a three-point shot that gave Missouri Western its first lead since the 3:45 mark of the first quarter. The Griffons trailed by as many as 20 in the first half and didn’t cut the Fort Hays lead to single digits until late in the third quarter. Missouri Western scored 22 in the third quarter, allowing just nine points by Fort Hays. The Griffons dropped 22 more in the fourth and limited Fort Hays to 15.

Miliakere Koyamainavure tied the game at 71 with 2:26 remaining. A free throw by Taylor Chandler gave Fort Hays back a one-point advantage. Then Handy knocked down the three that send the 3,275 in attendance into a frenzy. LaQunita Jefferson made three free throws in the closing seconds to help Missouri Western build a 77-72 lead. Beth Bohuslavsky sunk a long-distance three as time expired to cut the margin to two points.

Jefferson finished with a game-high 18 points on 46.2 percent shooting from the field, and eight rebounds. Handy finished with 15 points on 2-6 shooting from behind the arc and 5-11 from the field. Every other Griffon that played in the game scored at least five points. Mhykeah Baez led the Griffons on the glass, pulling down nine rebounds. As a team, Missouri Western out-rebounded Fort Hays 50-35. Chelsea Dewey scored seven and added seven assists.

It was Missouri Western’s first win over a top-5 team since defeating No. 4 Washburn in the MWSU Fieldhouse in 2010 and its second over a top-10 team in the last five days. It moved the Griffons to 18-0 overall, 12-0 in the MIAA and now a two-game lead atop the MIAA standings. Missouri Western will host Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western Men’s basketball team defeated Fort Hays State 74-68 Thursday night in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The win snapped a three-game skid for Missouri Western as they improve to 6-12 and 4-8 in the MIAA.

Missouri Western never trailed by more than six and never led by more than nine. The game was tied six times and the lead changed 11 times. Missouri Western shot 47 percent from the field, 47.6 percent from three-point range and 84.2 percent at the free throw line.

The Griffons were led by Xavier Newson’s career-high 25 points on 10-17 shooting. Trey Sampson added 21 points on 4-8 shooting, all three-point attempts. Kevin Thomas led the Griffons with eight rebounds. Aaron Emmanuel had a team-high four assists to go with his four points.

Missouri Western is back at home Saturday as they host Nebraska-Kearney at 5:00 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – In a season that continues to produce milestones not achieved in more than a decade, the undefeated Missouri Western women’s basketball team achieved another. The Griffons hit No. 5 in the in the latest WBCA/USA TODAY poll released this afternoon. It’s the highest ranking for the program since hitting No. 2 in the same poll in 2007.

Missouri Western is 17-0 overall and 11-0 in the MIAA, the program’s best ever start. Last week the team won at Washburn and at No. 9 Emporia State. It was the first time since the 2003-04 season Missouri Western had won on the road against either MIAA opponent. It also marked the first time since the 2003-04 season the team won at Central Missouri, Washburn and Emporia State in the same season. Thursday, the team will have a chance to pull off its first top-5 win since 2010 when No. 3 Fort Hays State visits the MWSU Fieldhouse. It will be the first matchup of top-5 teams in the MWSU Fieldhouse since 2007 when No. 2 Missouri Western hosted No. 3 Washburn.

Missouri Western enters Thursday’s game ranked in the top-10 nationally in six statistical categories and leading the MIAA in nine. The Griffons have claimed MIAA Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week honors five times this season, including Sarafina Handy sharing the honor with Fort Hays State’s Paige Lunsford this past week. Handy was the first Griffon other than LaQuinta Jefferson to claim the honor this year. Jefferson leads the MIAA, shooting 58.3 percent from the field and scoring 23.1 points per game. She ranks third in the nation in scoring and fourth nationally in field goals made.

No Missouri Western team, officially, has won its first 17 games, and the team’s 11-0 start in MIAA play is second only to the 1993-94 team that went undefeated (16-0) in the MIAA. The Griffons’ seven road wins this season are the most in the Rob Edmisson era and their 17 wins are the most, officially, since the 2004-05 season (20-9).

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – For the fifth time this season, a member of the Missouri Western women’s basketball team has been named the MIAA Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week. This time it was Sarafina Handy’s turn to win the award, sharing it this week with Fort Hays State’s Paige Lunsford.

Handy was clutch, making key baskets as the Griffon Women won on the road at Washburn and Emporia State last week, two places the program had not won since the 2003-04 season. The senior shot 58.8% from the field and 62.5% from three-point range while averaging 7.5 rebounds and 16.5 points per game. She also shot 87.5% from the free throw line.

She becomes the first Griffon other than LaQuinta Jefferson to win the award this season. Jefferson has claimed four weekly honors this season.

The 10th-ranked Griffons host No. 3 Fort Hays State on Thursday, Jan. 21 at 5:30 p.m. Missouri Western is 17-0 and 11-0 in the MIAA, the program’s best ever start.

— MWSU Athletics —

EMPORIA, Kan. – The 10th-ranked Missouri Western women’s basketball team earned their biggest victory of the season Saturday as they won at #9 Emporia State 73-64. It’s the Griffons first win in Emporia since 2004 and the first time beating a top-10 team since the 2007 season.

MWSU improves to 17-0 and 11-0 in the MIAA.

The Hornets built a five-point advantage in the first quarter but the Griffons closed the gap and eventually grabbed the lead midway through the second quarter on a Sarafina Handy three-point field goal. The Griffons never surrendered the lead after the 5:42 mark of the second quarter.

Missouri Western continues their strong play into the second half and took a seven point lead into the fourth quarter.  The Hornets cut the lead to two points early in the fourth quarter and kept it close until the Griffons went on an 8-2 run with just under three minutes to go. The run featured six points by LaQuinta Jefferson and a bucket by freshman Melia Richardson.

The Griffons were once again led by LaQuinta Jefferson as she scored 19-points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. Sarafina Handy and Miliakere Koyamainavure scored 16 and 12, respectively. Handy tallied 11 rebounds for the Griffons and Jefferson recorded eight rebounds.

Missouri Western shot 50% from the field and scored 50 points in the paints compared to the Hornets 41% shooting and 36 points in the paint. The Griffons also had 16 points from their bench.

The schedule for the Griffons doesn’t get any easier as they take on #3 Fort Hays State on Thursday starting at 5:30 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

EMPORIA, Kan. – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team lost its third straight game as they fell at Emporia State Saturday 67-66.  MWSU fell in the final seconds of the game as the Hornets’ Terrance Moore made a floater in the lane with 10 seconds remaining in the game.

The Griffons drop to 5-12 and 3-8 in the MIAA.

Western fell behind early in the first half shooting 45 percent from the field and trailing by nine at the half. Missouri Western cut into the lead early in the second half and they took the lead 10:28 remaining in the game on a Currie Byrd layup. The Griffons used a 13-0 in the second half to climb back into the game.

In the final minute, the Griffons allowed the Hornets to cut the lead to one-point on a Jay Temaat three-point field goal. The Griffons missed their shot on the other end and Terrance Moore converted on a floater in the lane with 10 seconds remaining. Aaron Emmanuel’s tough final shot fell short to win the game for MWSU.

Aaron Emmanuel was a bright spot for the Griffons racking up a triple-double including 14 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assist in the game. Three other Griffons scored in double-figures to help balance the scoring. Currie Byrd had 13 points, Trey Sampson scored 12 points and Mataika Koyamainavure tallied 10 points.

MWSU returns home on Thursday as they face off against Fort Hays State, starting at 3:30.

— MWSU Athletics —

TOPEKA, Kan. – The 10th ranked Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team led wire to wire of a 69-56 win at Washburn to move to 16-0 overall and 10-0 in the MIAA. The win snapped a nine-game skid versus Washburn for Missouri Western and was the Griffons’ first official win in Topeka since 2003.

Missouri Western set the tone early on with Sarafina Handy draining a three-point attempt on the team’s opening possession of the game. The Griffons would build a 7-2 lead in the first 1:30 of the game. Washburn cut the lead to 11-9 with 3:53 left in the first quarter, but that would be as close as the Ichabods would get the rest of the night. Missouri Western took a 12-point lead to the half, 24-12. The lead stretched to as many as 15 in the second half with Washburn getting no closer than four points after the break.

Three Griffons scored in double-figures, led by LaQuinta Jefferson’s game-high 20 points. Sarafina Handy finished with 16 on 71 percent shooting from the floor and Miliakere Koyamainavure added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

A top-10 matchup awaits the Griffons, Saturday, when the team travels to No. 9 Emporia State. The Lady Hornets defeated Northwest Missouri State 96-54 on Wednesday.

— MWSU Athletics —

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Missouri Western Men’s Basketball team couldn’t pick up its first road win of the 2015-16 season, falling 78-67 at Washburn on Wednesday night.

The loss dropped Missouri Western to 0-6 in road games this season, 5-11 overall and 3-7 in the MIAA. Washburn jumped out to a 6-0 lead on Missouri Western and never fell behind the Griffons, taking a 37-27 lead into halftime. A Trey Sampson three pointer early in the second half and a Mataika Koyamainavure layup just a minute later got the Griffons within single digits but Washburn would stretch the margin quickly, building a game-high lead of 19 points with 11:05 to go.

Currie Byrd led Missouri Western with 14 points, 13 of them in the first half, and seven rebounds. Joshua Ross finished with a career-high 11 points, going 3-4 from three-point range. Aaron Emmanuel scored eight points and also added seven rebounds.

Missouri Western travels to Emporia State on Saturday. The Hornets knocked off Emporia State, Wednesday night, 70-63.

— MWSU Athletics —

The Missouri Western women’s basketball team moved up three spots to number 10 in the latest WBCA/USA Today Top 25 poll.

The Griffons moved up three spots from last week as they were able to rally and defeat Northwest Missouri State on Saturday 82-73.

Western is now 15-0 on the season and 9-0 in the MIAA as they are atop the league standings right now.  It’s the best official start in school history.

Missouri Western has two challenging road trips this week as they play at Washburn Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.  Then they travel to No. 9 Emporia State for a 1:30 p.m. tip off Saturday.  Both games with be doubleheaders with the men and can be heard on 680 KFEQ and here on StJosephPost.com.

Emporia State moved down one spot to ninth in this weeks poll, while Fort Hays State is the other MIAA team in the Top 25 as they remain number three.

ST. JOSEPH – Rivalry Saturday lived up to its billing as the 13th-ranked Missouri Western women’s basketball team used a dominant second half to stay undefeated and keep Northwest Missouri State winless in MIAA play with an 82-73 victory.

Missouri Western trailed 45-38 at the break after falling behind by as many as 10 in the first half. The Griffons would regain the lead early in the third quarter thanks to a 9-0 run to open the second half. Missouri Western limited Northwest Missouri to nine points in the third quarter, scoring 22 itself. Overall in the second half, Missouri Western outscored Northwest 44-28 to pick up the 82-73 win.

LaQuinta Jefferson finished with a game-high 25 points on 40 percent field goal shooting. Mhykeah Baez added 13 points and a team-high six rebounds. Sarafina Handy shot 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from three point range, finishing with 15 points. Julia Torres finished with 11 points.

The Griffons begin a challenging six-game stretch on Wednesday at Washburn, followed by a trip to No. 8 Emporia State on Jan. 16.

— MWSU Athletics —