ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Women’s Basketball (4-5, 1-1 MIAA) earned its first MIAA conference win in dramatic fashion on Saturday afternoon, defeating Lincoln (7-1, 1-1 MIAA) in the final seconds by a score of 62-61.

With no timeouts and just five seconds remaining in the game, Katrina Roenfeldt converted the game-winning layup through traffic, giving the Griffons the 62-61 lead. On the next possession, the game’s leading scorer, Zhanesha Dickerson, missed a three-pointer at the buzzer to seal the win for the Griffons.

NOTABLES

• Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, combining to shoot just 25 percent as the Blue Tigers took a 23-19 lead into the halftime break.
• Missouri Western scored 21 points in the third quarter to keep the deficit at four going into the fourth. The Griffons went 9-11 from the free-throw line in the quarter.
• The Blue Tigers stretched their lead to seven with under four minutes remaining.
• KeShara Scott assisted a Jessica Davies layup to cut the Lincoln lead to just five with 2:54 to play.
• Roenfeldt made back-to-back three pointers to tie the game at 57 apiece with 1:39 remaining.
• Scott’s layup gave the Griffons’ their first lead of the second half with one minute remaining.
• Lincoln’s Zoi Thompson hit back-to-back layups to give Lincoln the lead with 22 seconds remaining.
• On the ensuing possession, Roenfeldt converted one of two free-throw attempts, bringing the Griffons within one at 61-60.
• The Griffons would get the ball back after a Roenfeldt steal. Roenfeldt then made the game-winning layup with five seconds to play.

LEADERS

• Jessica Davies recorded her first career double-double with a career-high 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Davies was also a team best 6-of-12 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
• Anastacia Johnson and Kylee Williams each had three steals to lead the team. Williams also led the team with five assists
• Roenfeldt ended the game with 14 points
• Williams and Roenfeldt both played all 40 minutes

UP NEXT

• The Griffons get more than a week off before hosting Newman on Dec. 19 in the fieldhouse.

— MWSU Athletics —

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Missouri Western Men’s and Women’s Track and Field kicked off the 2018-19 indoor season on Friday and Saturday at the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic in Maryville.

The Griffons had three individuals win events at the meet. Hanna Williams took first in the women’s 400 meter dash with a time of 55.14. Her time is also good for an NCAA Div. II provisional qualifying mark. Megan Gillen won two events on Saturday. Gillen took first in the one mile run with a time of 5:14.87. She also won the 3000 meter run with a career-best time of 10:40.20. Jordan Garr won the men’s shotput with a mark of 16.97 meters.

Savannah Simmons placed second in the 60 meter dash with a time of 7.69. Simmons also placed fourth in the 200 meter.

Chris Stanley took third in the 600 yard run on the men’s side at 1:13.67. Allison Goos put together an impressive performance in the distance events, finishing second in both the 3000 meter and 5000 meter run. Claire Reedy also placed fifth in the one mile run.

The Missouri Western 4×400 meter relay team of Chaniya Alioth, Allison Nutt, Savannah Simmons, and Hanna Williams came in fifth place out of the fourteen teams in the event. The team finished with a time of 4:00.07.

Along with winning the men shotput, Garr also finished fourth in the weight throw. On the women’s side, Kallin Sheppard place in the top-five in both the weight throw and shotput. Sheppard took second in the weight throw and fifth in the shotput.

Hunter Scaggs earned second in the men’s high jump. Two Griffon women jumpers placed in the top-five in their events. Julia Odir took third in the women’s triple jump and Bayley Gilbert placed fourth in the long jump.

Lynzi Miller placed fourth in the women’s 60 meter hurdles at the multis on Friday.

Missouri Western Track and Field will have over a month off before its next competition. They will travel to Lincoln for the Graduate Classic at the University of Nebraska on Jan. 11.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Men’s Basketball (5-5, 0-1 MIAA) fell to Lindenwood 75-58 in its home opener on Thursday night.

NOTABLES

• The Griffon offense struggled early in the game. The Griffons missed nine of their first 10 shots and had seven turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the game.
• Jalen Gant kept the Griffons within reach in the first half. Gant finished with seven points, four rebounds, and an assist in the first half.
• Sam Siganos capped off an 11-2 run with a three-point buzzer-beater to bring the Griffons within 10 going into the break.
• Lavon Hightower cut the deficit to just seven points with 15 minutes remaining. It was the closest Missouri Western would get, as Lindenwood outscored the Griffons 42-35 to earn the road win.
• The Lions had the advantage in getting to the free-throw line, shooting almost twice as many free throws as the Griffons.
• Over half of the Griffons field-goal attempts were three pointers.

LEADERS

• Jalen Gant had one of his best games of the season, scoring a season-high 14 points in 16 minutes. Gant shot 60 percent from the field and also added six boards.
• Tyree Carroll had a team-high five assists to go along with his seven points.
• Beau Baker scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds.

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western will host Lincoln (4-3, 0-1 MIAA) on Saturday, Dec. 8.
• The Blue Tigers lost by just seven points to No. 2 Northwest Missouri on Thursday.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western head golf coach Greg Dillon announced the addition of one female student-athlete for the 2019-20 seasons.

Allycia Gan will follow in what has become a long line of Malaysian women’s golfers to attend Missouri Western.

“We are excited to get a player as accomplished as Allycia,” Dillon said. “We are getting one of the best junior golfers in Malaysia. We have watched her on the junior circuits for a long time and feel she is ready for the next step in her competitive golf career here at Missouri Western.

We feel honored that Allycia will follow the examples set by Celine Lim, Shi Qing Ong and Chong Yong.”

— MWSU Athletics —

TEXARKANA, Ark. – Griffon Football (7-5) jumped out to an early lead and hung on to win the 2018 Agent Barry Live United Bowl, 30-25 over Southern Arkansas (8-4).

Outstanding special teams and crucial plays on both sides of the ball helped Missouri Western to its first seven-win season since 2014. Senior kicker Tyler Basch was named the Agent Barry Live United Bowl MVP after going three-for-three on field goal attempts including a Live United Bowl record 58-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Basch’s bowl record breaking kick tied the Missouri Western record.

NOTABLES

• Missouri Western led 20-0 at halftime, but the Southern Arkansas offense started to click in the second half
• The Griffon lead was down to eight (27-19) with 11:25 to play, but Basch capped an 11-play, 64-yard drive that took more than five minutes off the clock with a 27-yard field goal to put MWSU up 30-19 with 5:58 to go
• Southern Arkansas would score again, but failed to convert its third two-point try of the game to make the score 30-25 with 1:48 left
• Missouri Western recovered the ensuing onside kick and left Southern Arkansas with just forty seconds on the clock and the ball at its own 13-yard line. The Griffon defense held to clinch the game for the Griffons
• It was the program’s first postseason victory since defeating Henderson State in the second round of the 2012 playoffs and the first bowl win since the 2009 Mineral Water Bowl
• The special teams were fantastic for the Griffons with Kyle Dumler blocking a first half field goal attempt, Shamar Griffith blocking a punt, Luke Theis pinning Southern Arkansas inside its own 20 three times and Sam Aviles averaging 61 yards per kickoff with four touchbacks. Southern Arkansas also had a muffed snap on its first punt attempt of the game and Brandin Dandridge had a highlight reel punt return touchdown called back due to offsetting penalties.
• Missouri Western held a powerful Southern Arkansas offense to just 120 first half yards, but the Muleriders added 321 in the second half
• The Griffon defense held Southern Arkansas to 96 rushing yards on 31 carries while the Griffon offense rushed for 116 on 28 carries

LEADERS

• James Bailey Jr. had two rushing touchdowns on 10 carries for 45 yards
• Dom Marino was 13-for-23 through the air for 211 yards and a touchdown
• Joe Horn Jr. and Carlos Thompson each had three catches
• Shamar Griffith led the team with 57 receiving yards
• Jabbar Miles and Kobe Cummings each had 12 tackles to lead the team
• Cummings also broke up two passes

LIBERTY, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team (5-4) used a balanced offensive effort and solid team defense to pick up a road win over William Jewell 78-75 on Monday night. The win snaps a three-game losing skid and wraps up the Griffon’s five-game road trip.

NOTABLES

• There were 19 lead changes and five ties throughout the game. The Cardinals held the lead for over 27 minutes, compared to just nine for the Griffons.
• Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, as the Griffons trailed 34-33 going into halftime. Missouri Western held William Jewell to just 37 percent shooting in the first half.
• Bryan Hudson sank a three pointer with 14:24 remaining to cap off a 10-3 run and give the Griffons their first lead of the second half.
• William Jewell lost its final lead of the game at 10:24 remaining after Jonathan Mesmacque knocked down a pair of free throws.
• Hudson’s dunk stretched the lead to double digits with under two minutes remaining off of a Tyrell Carroll assist.
• Four different Griffons scored in double figures in the win.
• Free-throw shooting is one area the Griffons can improve after Monday’s win. The Griffons shot just 57 percent from the line.

LEADERS

• Lavon Hightower scored 17 points on just seven shot attempts.
• Hudson also finished with 17 points, his fifth-straight game in double-figures.
• Tyrell Carroll added 15 points. His seven assists are the most by a Griffon this season.
• Mesmacque was one rebound shy of a double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine boards.

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western will have nine days before its next game.
• The Griffons will host Lindenwood (6-3) in the MIAA opener on Dec. 6.
• The Lions defeated NAIA institution Culver Stockton 95-53 in their last game.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Due to current driving conditions between Alamosa, Colorado, and St. Joseph, the Missouri Western women’s basketball game versus Adams State on Nov. 27 has been postponed until Dec. 30.

The two teams were scheduled to play Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the MWSU Fieldhouse, but weather conditions made travel unsafe for Adams State. The game has been re-scheduled for Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The new date and time will make the game part of a non-conference doubleheader as the Missouri Western men’s basketball team will host Illinois-Springfield at 3 p.m. on Dec. 30.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Missouri Western Men’s Basketball (4-4) lost its second and final game of the UMSL Thanksgiving Classic 90-75 to Maryville (4-2) on Saturday. The Griffons shot 47 percent from the field but couldn’t overcome hot shooting from Maryville as MWSU suffers its third straight loss.

NOTABLES

• Maryville ended the first half on an 18-6 run to take a 43-32 lead going into the break.
• Missouri Western’s six made three pointers kept the Maryville lead at 11 points going into halftime. Lavon Hightower made all four of his three-point attempts in the first half.
• Hightower’s made jumper at 9:23 in the second half capped off a 10-3 run by the Griffon to cut the deficit to just eight.
• The Saints outscored the Griffons 23-16 throughout the remainder of the game.
• Maryville’s 90 points on Saturday are the most points allowed by the Griffons this season.
• Saturday was also the first game in which the Griffons have allowed their opponent to shoot over 50 percent from the field, as the Saints shot 61 percent.
• The Griffons shot 52 percent from the field in the second half.
• Missouri Western shot a season-high 41 percent from three in the loss.
• Maryville hands the Griffons their third-straight loss, with all three of those games on the road.

LEADERS

• Bryan Hudson led the team in scoring for the second time this season with 21 points.
• Hightower added 19 points, eight board, and three assists.
• Alex Martin scored a season-high 14 points.
• Beau Baker scored a season-high seven points in 22 minutes.

UP NEXT

• The Griffons will wrap up a five-game road trip against William Jewell (2-5) on Nov. 26.
• The Cardinals will be coming off a 91-81 win at Southwest Baptist earlier this week.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western (3-4) and William Jewell (3-2) saved the best for last for the final game of the Fairfield Inn Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday. The Griffons fell 68-61 in a back-and-forth overtime game that featured 10 ties and 11 lead changes.

NOTABLES

• William Jewell took a narrow 32-29 lead into overtime. Both teams struggled offensively, shooting a combined 36 percent with a total of 20 turnovers.
• The Griffons played their best basketball in the third quarter. The Griffons held William Jewell to 20 percent shooting and scored 16 points in the period, making seven of their 10 free throws.
• The Cardinals used a 13-2 run to regain the lead with 1:24 left in the fourth quarter.
• KeShara Scott tied the game at 58-58 with 64 seconds remaining on a mid-range jumper.
• Jessica Davies scored the first basket of the overtime period on a three-pointer. Davies extended the possession with an offensive rebound before Jill Rumpf kicked it back out to Davies for three.
• The Cardinals made three of their next four free throws to tie the game at 61.
• With 44 seconds remaining, Antoinette Mussorici gave William Jewell a three point lead as she converted an and-one layup.
• William Jewell drew six fouls in overtime and converted eight of nine free-throw attempts, outscoring the Griffons 10-3 in the extra period to hand the Griffons the loss.
• Both teams shot 33 percent from the field in the game.
• The Griffons outrebounded their opponent for the fourth-straight game on Saturday, winning the rebounding battle 44-30.

LEADERS

• Davies and Ledbetter both tied for the team lead in points (10) and rebounds (8).
• Davies’ 10 points and 8 boards are both season-high marks.
• Scott added nine points, six rebounds, and a team-high three assists

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western will host Adams State (0-2) on Nov. 27 in its next game.
• The Grizzlies lost their last game by 15 points on the road at William Jewell.

— MWSU Athletics —