JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The 16th-ranked Missouri Western Women’s basketball outscored Lincoln 50-27 in the second half of an 85-62 win Sunday at Jefferson City that moved the team to 11-0 on the season and 6-0 in the MIAA.

The teams went to halftime tied at 35 but Missouri Western took control in the third quarter, scoring 25 points while allowing 11 in the quarter. The Griffons shot 60 percent from the field in the second half and limited Lincoln to nine made field goals and a 33 percent field goal percentage. Missouri Western scored 25 of its points off 25 Lincoln turnovers, 16 of them steals for the Griffons.

LaQuinta Jefferson led the way for the Griffons again, scoring 27 points on 11-19 shooting with four rebounds and three assists. Sarafina Handy added 17 points, four assists and three steals. Sefulu Faavae led Missouri Western with five total rebounds and chipped in seven points. Juila Torres scored 11 with three rebounds and two steals.

The team is off to its best MIAA start since the 1994-95 season and best overall start since the 1998-99 season. Missouri Western will take a step away from conference play with a New Year’s Eve game in the filedhouse against the University of Saint Mary (Kan.).

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The 16th-ranked Missouri Western Women’s basketball team narrowly avoided their first loss of the season, hanging on for a 79-77 win at Lindenwood Friday.

LaQuinta Jefferson scored the team’s final four points, tying the game and giving the Griffons their final lead. Jefferson’s 29th point of the game came on a layup off a Melia Richardson steal with :57 left. Richardson would pull down a defensive rebound on the ensuing Lindenwood possession but drove the length of the floor and had a layup attempt blocked with :20 left. Out of a Lindenwood time out, Sufulu Faavae blocked a Jenny Rocha layup with 10 seconds left. Lindenwood fouled Jefferson with three seconds remaining and the senior guard made both free throws to give the Griffons the lead and the win.

Missouri Western improved to 10-0 on the year and 5-0 in MIAA play. It’s the first time Missouri Western is 5-0 in the MIAA, officially, since the 1994-95 season and the first 10-0 start since 1998-99.

Jefferson led all scorers with 31 points, adding five rebounds and three steals. Mhykeah Baez went a perfect 8-8 from the field, scoring a career-high 16 points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds before fouling out. Richardson finished with nine points. Missouri Western shot 54 percent from the field for the game.

The Griffons stay on the road this weekend with a trip to Lincoln on Sunday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The Missouri Western Men’s Basketball team dropped to 3-8 on the year and 1-4 in the MIAA after a 76-62 loss at Lindenwood Friday night.

Xavier Newson was not cold, scoring a game-high and career-high, 20 points on 6-10 shooting from the field. The junior also sank all seven of his free throw attempts. Aaron Emmanuel finished with another double-double, scoring 11 and pulling down 10 boards. Kevin Thomas finished with 10 points and two rebounds in 20 minutes.

Missouri Western had a tough night from the field, shooting 37 percent and just 17.6 percent from three-point range (3-17). Lindenwood shot 43 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc. The Griffons were outrebounded 42-30. Missouri Western forced Lindenwood into 11 turnovers. The game was tied three times and had six lead changes with Missouri Western grabbing a four point lead five minutes into the second half but saw the lead evaporate quickly.

The Griffons stay on the road for the weekend, visiting Lincoln on Sunday. Friday night, the Blue Tigers upset No. 25 Northwest Missouri State in Jefferson City.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western senior defensive back Mike Jordan has been named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, given to the nation’s top small-college defensive player.  Also Thursday, he was named a first team AP Little-All-American.

They are two in a growing list of postseason honors for the senior corner back. Jordan finished the regular season second in all of Division II football with 22 passes defended. His 16 career interceptions tied him for second on the career list at Missouri Western. Already this postseason, Jordan has been named unanimous first team All-MIAA, first team AFCA All-American and first team D2CCA All-American. Jordan was also named to the AFCA and AP All-America teams last season. The Hazelwood, Missouri native will be one of just two Division II participants in the East-West Shrine Bowl.

A prestigious selection committee made up of former college and pro football greats will select the winner of the Cliff Harris Award. In addition to the overall winner, the top vote getter from each division will also be announced.

The CLIFF HARRIS AWARD winner will be announced on Dec. 24 and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet in February 2016. The winner will receive the $3,000 CLIFF HARRIS AWARD trophy presented by Cliff Harris. The inaugural winner of the award in 2013 was Lindenwood University cornerback Pierre Desir now with the Cleveland Browns. The 2014 winner was Darius Allen of Colorado State University-Pueblo.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team has moved up one spot in the latest USA Today Sports WBCA Top 25 poll as they are No. 16 this week.

It’s the fourth-straight week the Griffons (9-0, 4-0 MIAA) have appeared in the poll and the third-straight week the team has moved up, beginning at No. 22. This past week the Griffons handed Pittsburg State its first loss of the season and hung on to become just the second team to defeat Missouri Southern in 2015. For her efforts, LaQuinta Jefferson was named MIAA Women’s Basketball Co-Athlete of the Week. It was the second time in three weeks Jefferson received the honor.

Missouri Western is officially off to its best MIAA start since beginning 4-0 in 1997 and its best overall start since the 2001-02 season. The 2006-07 team began the season 10-0 in the MIAA and 21-0 overall but had to vacate all wins that season. The Griffons best MIAA start ever was the 1993-94 team that went 16-0 in MIAA play to claim the first of two-straight regular season MIAA championships. The Griffons followed up the undefeated run with a 15-1 record and regular season MIAA Championship in 1994-95. That team won 10 league games before losing in MIAA play.

This weekend the Griffons have a rare Friday-Sunday swing on the road. Missouri Western visits Lindenwood on Dec. 18 and Lincoln on Dec. 20. After that, the Griffons play four in a row at home, beginning with a non-conference tilt against the University of Saint Mary on New Year’s Eve.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western senior defensive back Mike Jordan has added a second All-American award after being named first team Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) All-American by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America.

It’s Jordan’s first CoSIDA All-American nod after earlier picking up his second AFCA All-American award of his career. The defensive back is also a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award, given to the nation’s top small college defensive player. Jordan also plans on participating in the East-West Shrine game, one of just two Division II student-athletes invited to the event.

Tied for second on MWSU’s all-time career interceptions list with 16, Jordan pulled in five picks his senior year along with 22 passes defended, which was second in the nation after the regular season. The Hazelwood, Missouri native was a three-time first team All-MIAA selection (unanimous in 2015) and an honorable mention pick in 2012 when he was also named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. Last season Jordan was named first team AFCA All-America, first team d2football.com All-American, third team AP Little All-American and honorable mention Don Hansen Football Gazette All-American.

Jordan was one of four MIAA representatives on the first team defense and one of six overall MIAA members to be first team D2CCA All-American. Linebackers Connor Harris (Lindenwood) and Brock Long (Fort Hays) were also named first team along with safety Kevin Berg (Northwest Missouri). Punter Matt Klingler (Lindenwood) and offensive lineman Shane Smith (Northwest Missouri) were the MIAA’s other first team selections.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western guard LaQuinta Jefferson has picked up her second MIAA Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week award, being named co-athlete of the week with Nebraska-Kearney’s Laramey Becker.

Jefferson, a senior from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, averaged 24 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.  She also shot 48 percent from the field and 94 percent at the free throw line.

Jefferson scored 24 with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Saturday against Missouri Southern, Jefferson again dropped 24 points, adding four rebounds and two assists.

Two weeks ago, Jefferson was named the national player of the week and the MIAA Athlete of the Week. Jefferson enters this week fifth in the nation, scoring 22 points per game.

Missouri Western is on the road this Friday as they play at Lindenwood at 5:30 p.m.  The game will be broadcast on 680 KFEQ and here on StJosephPost.com.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The 17th-ranked Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team hung on for a 63-61 win over Missouri Southern Saturday inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.  The win gives the Griffons the program’s first official 4-0 start in MIAA play since the 1997-98 season.

Missouri Western hit 9-0 in an MIAA slugfest that went down to the wire. The Griffons’ largest lead came with 4:58 remaining in the game, nine points. That lead was whittled to one with three seconds left. Sarafina Handy made one of her two free throws to ice the victory. Missouri Western was limited to 34 percent shooting from the field for the game, 27.3 from behind the arc. Missouri Western shot 33 free throws in the game, making 26. Missouri Southern shot 22, making 16.

LaQuinta Jefferson scored 24 for the second game in a row and added four rebounds. Milakere Koyamainavure added 13 points and four rebounds. Mhykeah Baez led the Griffons on the glass with nine rebounds. Julia Torres and Dwanisha Tate each had six.

The Griffons hit the road next week with a trip to Lindenwood on Dec. 18 and Lincoln on Dec. 20.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western Men’s Basketball team couldn’t outshoot Missouri Southern in an 85-72 loss Saturday in the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons shot 47.5 percent from the field for the game, but Missouri Southern bested the Griffons with a 57.1 field goal percentage. Missouri Western also went 3-17 from three-point range while Missouri Southern went 7-15 The Griffons were also hurt at the free throw line where Missouri Southern went to the line 32 times, making 22, three more than the 19 Missouri Western shot.

Aaron Emmanuel led Missouri Western with a career-high 23 points. The junior guard added five rebounds. Mataika Koyamainavure’s six rebounds led Missouri Western. He chipped in 11 points. Currie Byrd scored nine with four rebounds. Trey Sampson finished with five points and five assists.

The loss dropped Missouri Western to 3-7 overall and 1-3 in the MIAA. The Griffons will hit the road next weekend, playing at Lindenwood on Dec. 18 and at Lincoln on Dec. 20.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team claimed their first conference victory Thursday night inside the MWSU Fieldhouse as they defeated Pittsburg State 69-66.

The Griffons opened up a double digit lead to close out the first half behind 52% field goal percentage. MWSU made 6-of-8 three pointers in the half including two each from Wes Mitter and Currie Byrd.  The Griffons also took advantage of 14-1 bench points.

In the second half, Pittsburg St. was able to tie the game twice with less than four minutes remaining. The Griffons relied on back-to-back three pointers by Currie Byrd to give the Griffons a four point lead with less than a minute to go. Junior Trey Sampson kept the Gorillas from getting any closer than two. Sampson hit three of four free throws with less than 16 seconds remaining in the game. The Gorillas Jaxon Holden missed a three-pointer as time expired in the game.

The Griffons had three players in double-figures including Currie Byrd leading the team with 16 points. Mataika Koyamainavure and Cole Clearman scored 15 and 11 off the bench respectively. Koyamainavure lead the team with six rebounds while Kevin Thomas and Miles Wentzien each had five rebounds. The Griffons finished the night shooting 17-of-21 from the free throw line.

Missouri Western improves their record 3-6 and 1-2 in MIAA competition. MWSU will return home against Missouri Southern on Saturday evening at 5 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —