College – Page 324 – St. Joseph Post Archive

MWSU women surprisingly drop three spots in Central Region rankings

Posted on February 24, 2016February 24, 2016

The Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team dropped three spots in this week’s NCAA Division II Central Region Poll.

Despite winning their one game last week, the Griffons fell from No. 1 in the region to No. 4. The first three behind Missouri Western in last week’s rankings jumped over the Griffons, each winning two games last week. Pittsburg State is the new No. 1 followed by Fort Hays at No. 2 and Winona State at No. 3. Fellow MIAA member Emporia State moved up one spot from No. 6 to No. 5. Rounding out the top-10 in order are Arkansas Tech, Northern State, MSU Moorhead, Sioux Falls and Augustana.

The top eight after the completion of conference tournaments will advance to the regional tournament at a site to be determined. Regional tournament games will be played March 11, 12 and 14.

— MWSU Athletics —

Mizzou comes up short at Ole Miss Tuesday 85-76

Posted on February 23, 2016February 23, 2016

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Stefan Moody scored 29 points and ignited a decisive 10-0 run midway through the second half Tuesday night as Mississippi defeated Missouri 85-76.

Ole Miss (18-10, 8-7 Southeastern Conference) used the 10-0 spurt to build a 64-54 lead with 9:31 remaining. Moody had three baskets and a behind-the-back assist for a Tomasz Gielo layup to highlight the surge.

Sebastian Saiz had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Gielo scored 12 points as Ole Miss won for the third time in four games. Moody added eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals. The Rebels led 43-42 at halftime.

Missouri (10-18, 3-12) had four players score in double figures led by Namon Wright with 20 points. Tramaine Isabell scored 17 points with Kevin Puryear and K.J. Walton adding 11 apiece for the Tigers.

— Associated Press —

No. 2 Kansas rallies past No. 19 Baylor for eighth straight win

Posted on February 23, 2016February 23, 2016

WACO, Texas (AP) — Landen Lucas and Wayne Selden felt the wrath of Kansas coach Bill Self at halftime, when the second-ranked Jayhawks trailed No. 19 Baylor.

“I got on them hard at halftime, probably too hard,” Self said.

They made up for it down the stretch, and got Kansas a step closer to its 12th consecutive Big 12 title with a 66-60 victory Tuesday night.

Lucas had the tiebreaking layup with 3:03 left after one of his four rebounds down the stretch. Selden, who finished with six points, had four of those in the final 2 minutes, along with two offensive rebounds in that span that led to points.

“I was struggling all night, just trying to find a way to impact the game, and it was rebounding,” Selden said. “Me and Landen, we had to get to the glass, so I just tried to crash the board, give us extra possessions.”

The go-ahead putback by Lucas came after he rebounded a missed 3 by Selden.

After Selden rebounded a missed tip-in by Lucas with 1:40 left, Kansas (24-4, 12-3) called time out. They set up a play when Devonte Graham’s lob pass to Selden resulted in a dunk.

Frank Mason III had 19 points and Perry Ellis added 15 for Kansas, which has a two-game lead over No. 14 West Virginia in the Big 12 standings with three league games remaining. Graham had 11 points and Lucas had 10 rebounds to go with his five points.

Al Freeman led Baylor (20-8, 9-6) with 17 points, including four 3-pointers. Taurean Prince had 12 points.

“I was proud of how we competed and played for about 36 minutes, and then I wish we could do that last 4 minutes over again,” Bears coach Scott Drew said. “I don’t think we executed as well as we’d like. We didn’t rebound as well as we’d like down the stretch. But I think we’ve seen marked improvement from the first time we played them.”

Baylor lost its Big 12 opener 102-74 at Kansas on Jan. 2.

After losing three straight Big 12 road games, the Jayhawks have won their last four as part of an eight-game winning streak overall. They play Texas Tech at home Saturday with a chance to guarantee at least a share of the Big 12 title.

“That’s big for us. About a month ago, a lot of people were doubting us and what-not,” Lucas said. “So to be able to come back and do it with a couple of games left is just an awesome feeling.”

There were eight ties and 17 lead changes Tuesday night.

The Bears were ahead 45-37, which would equal their largest lead, on Ish Wainright’s 3-pointer on a possession set up when he had a steal — basically taking the ball out of Jamari Traylor’s hands and getting the ball back after a couple of passes.

Kansas led for the first time in the second half when Traylor had consecutive baskets, the second with 10:16 left making it 48-47.

There were a couple more lead changes after that — a 3 by Graham that put the Jayhawks up 51-49 with 8:48 left before Baylor went back ahead on a 3 by Freeman with 8:05 left. Then there was a long gap when neither team scored.

Mason’s jumper ended a 4 1/2-minute scoring drought by the Jayhawks, and then Baylor got its first basket in nearly 4 minutes when Freeman hit another 3.

RICO FROM DEEP IN THE CORNER

Baylor led 36-33 at halftime on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Rico Gathers, their 6-foot-8 senior forward whose first career attempt from beyond the arc came on his 836th shot in his 135th game. He made the shot from the corner in front of the Kansas bench after a court-length pass from Wainright. Gathers was still excitedly pounding his chest going into locker room after knocking down someone who was standing at the entrance to the tunnel.

“It was a tough shot. He made it,” Lucas said. “That was just a letdown on my part by even letting him get the shot off.”

TIP-INS

Kansas: The Jayhawks made missed six of their first seven shots, but made 11 of their next 18 before halftime. They shot 50 percent (23 of 46) in the game. … Kansas has a 26-4 series lead, including 11-2 at Waco and seven straight wins overall. … The Jayhawks have reached 24 wins for the 11th consecutive season.

Baylor: Baylor is 0-16 all-time against the No. 1 or No. 2 teams, including 0-3 this season. … The Bears are 56-21 since Feb. 12, 2014, a stretch when 15 of those losses have been away from home and 14 are to ranked teams.

UP NEXT

Kansas hosts Texas Tech on Saturday.

Baylor is at TCU on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

Missouri’s Cunningham named SEC Freshman of the Week

Posted on February 23, 2016February 23, 2016

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball freshman guard Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week for the fifth time this season, it was announced Tuesday. Cunningham recorded the third double-double of her freshman season with 24 points and 10 rebounds in Sunday’s 69-55 victory at Auburn.

Cunningham became only the second Mizzou freshman over the last 18 years to record a 24-point, 10-rebound performance and only the third Tiger to finish with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 made free throws during that span. She tied a career-high with 10 made foul shots in 12 attempts. For the game, Cunningham finished 6-for-9 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3-point range.

Through 27 games, Cunningham averages a team-leading 13.3 points per game, ranks second on the squad in assists (2.9) and is tied for second in rebounding (5.6). She ranks 11th in the SEC in points and is the only freshman in the league’s top 23 in scoring. Cunningham ranks second in points (360) and made free throws (82), fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3) and ninth in rebounds (152) by a freshman in Mizzou Women’s Basketball history.

Cunningham ranks fifth in the SEC in free throw percentage (79.6) and 12th in assists (2.9). Cunningham was also named SEC Freshman of the Week on Nov. 17, Nov. 24 and Dec. 8 and Jan. 19.

The No. 24 Tigers (21-6, 8-6) return to action Thursday with a 6 p.m. CT tipoff at No. 15 Kentucky (19-6, 8-6).

— Mizzou Athletics —

K-State’s rally comes up short against No. 25 Texas 71-70

Posted on February 22, 2016

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — With one of the top seeds at next month’s Big 12 conference tournament still up for grabs, Isaiah Taylor knew No. 25 Texas couldn’t afford to lose on the road this late in the season to an inexperienced Kansas State.

So when push came to shove late, Taylor provided the type of clutch effort a team needs to grind out road wins in league play.

The junior guard scored 19 points, including a 3-pointer to all but ice the game with less than a minute to play, and Texas held on to beat Kansas State 71-70 on Monday night.

“I had the ball at the top of the key. Shaquille (Cleare) set the screen, but I really had no intention of using the screen,” Taylor said. “I just told Shaq to move out of the way.”

He did, and Taylor found nothing but net.

Javan Felix had 11 of his 13 points in the first half and Eric Davis, Jr. finished with 10 points for Texas (18-10, 9-6 Big 12). Connor Lammert had eight points and seven rebounds.

“I don’t care if we win by one or by 100. We came up here to win,” Texas coach Shaka Smart said. “It certainly wasn’t our best game, but our guys battled.”

Kansas State (15-13, 4-11) was forced to play catch-up in the second half after falling behind by as many as eight points. When the Wildcats got as close as 66-65 with 1:03 to play, Taylor stepped back and hit a 3-pointer with a defender in his face.

Dean Wade later had a chance to be the hero for Kansas State, but his would-be game winner clunked off the front of the rim to end the game.

Justin Edwards had 20 points and eight rebounds for Kansas State, while D.J. Johnson added 16 points and Wesley Iwundu had 12.

The Wildcats have lost six conference games by 10 points or less.

“Maybe one of these times,” Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said, “something will go our way and we’ll find a way to win.”

The thrilling finish didn’t entirely tell the story.

Texas stormed out to an early lead before Felix book-ended the period with seven of his 11 first-half points in a 2-minute span to give the Longhorns a 38-35 halftime lead.

Kansas State was fortunate to only trail by three.

At one point, the Wildcats were behind 22-18, with only Edwards and Johnson having made field goals. It wasn’t until the 7:29 mark that assistance came with Carlbe Ervin hit two free throws.

The teams combined for 24 fouls, resulting in a sloppy 20 minutes that lacked any sort of rhythm. Eleven were called against the Wildcats, including one on Wade with 3:35 to play, when the freshman was actually elbowed in the face. The purple-clad fans’ groans grew so loud during the ensuing free throws that the officials went over to the monitor to take another look.

Nothing else was called.

Texas clung to its lead throughout the second half, fending off each Kansas State run, including a jumper from Taylor with 3:34 left to stretch a one-point lead back to three. The guard then did it again with 43 seconds remaining, stepping back and hitting the big 3-pointer with a defender in his face.

“We are still becoming who we really are,” Smart said. “It was a good step to go on the road in this league and win — I do not care who you are playing.”

TIP-INS

Texas: Center Prince Ibeh played just 9 minutes, fouling out with 4 minutes to play in the game. He finished with three points and one field goal. . The Longhorns have won four straight against Kansas State.

Kansas State: Since scoring 17 points against then-No. 1 Oklahoma on Feb. 6, Wade has shot just 11 of 32 from the field.

QUOTABLE

“It’s pretty easy to notice, he’s hit a wall,” Weber said of Wade. “But he’ll be fine. He’s a good, young man who cares a lot — probably too much.”

UP NEXT

Texas: hosts No. 3 Oklahoma on Saturday.

Kansas State: visits No. 17 Iowa State on Saturday.

— Associated Press —

MWSU softball splits final two games at St. Cloud State Tournament

Posted on February 21, 2016

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The 16th-ranked Missouri Western softball team wrapped up the Kelly Laas Memorial Invite with a win and a loss on Sunday, going 4-1 on the weekend and bringing head coach Jen Bagley Trotter two wins shy of 500 for her career.

Game 1: #20 Augustana (S.D.) 3, #16 MWSU 1

A two run home run in the first inning was all the cushion No. 20 Augustana would need to snap a four-game winning streak for the 16th ranked Griffons.

Janie Smith surrendered a two-run home run to the third batter she faced then calmed down to keep Augustana off the scoreboard until the fifth. After back-to-back doubles to lead off the bottom of the fifth, Smith coaxed a pop-up to the short stop to record the first out of the inning. Shyanne Saladino then replaced Smith and gave up a walk before retiring the next batter on a ground out that scored a run to put Augustana up 3-1. Missouri Western scored its lone run in the third. Two Augustana errors led to the run. Rebekah Mueller singled with one out but was able to advance to second on an error. Morgan Rathmann followed by reaching on an error that allowed Mueller to score.

Rathmann and Shelbie Atwell both went 2-4 at the plate. Missouri Western touched Augustana for six hits but left seven runners stranded. Smith fell to 5-2 on the season, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing three earned runs on 10 hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Saladino went the last inning and two thirds. She did not allow a hit, stuck out one and walked one.

Game 2: #16 MWSU 3, St. Cloud State 0

Saladino picked up her second shutout of the weekend, allowing six baserunners in seven innings and moving her record to 3-2 and ERA to 0.73.

Taylor Hamilton aided the Griffon offensive effort with a 2-3, two RBI performance at the plate. Hamilton drove in Missouri Western’s first run of the game on a single to left center in the first and added another RBI single to right center in the third. Kailey Green drove in the other Griffon run on a single in the fifth. Rathmann went 2-4 in game two with two runs scored.

The win pushed Missouri Western to 8-4 on the season and gave Trotter her 498th career win, all at Missouri Western. She’ll have her first crack at win No. 500 next weekend when the team plays in Joplin, Missouri, at the Teri Mathis Zenner Memorial Tournament. The Griffons will face Drury and Rockhurst on Saturday before taking on Sioux Falls and McKendree on Sunday.

— MWSU Athletics —

Mizzou women earn convincing win at Auburn

Posted on February 21, 2016February 22, 2016

AUBURN, Ala. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball (21-6, 8-6) never trailed in a balanced 69-55 victory at Auburn (18-9, 8-6) Sunday afternoon. Junior forward Jordan Frericks (Quincy, Ill.) became the 33rd member of the Mizzou Women’s Basketball 1,000-Point Club while head coach Robin Pingeton earned her 100th victory on the Mizzou sideline.

Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.) recorded the third double-double of her freshman season with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds. Frericks added 18 points, eight rebounds and a career-high six assists. Morgan Stock (Town & Country, Mo.) drained four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points as she tied a career-high with 36 minutes played.

Mizzou got out to an early lead and led 16-12 at the end of the first quarter. Frericks scored eight points in the game’s first 6:04.

In the second quarter, Mizzou increased the lead behind four 3-pointers, including three in a span of four possessions en route to a 36-27 halftime lead. Frericks notched 10 points in the first half while Cunningham added nine.

During the third period, Mizzou outscored Auburn 20-12. Frericks scored her 1,000th career point on a layup with 5:49 remaining in the quarter off of a pass from Lindsey Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.), leading to the uncontested lay-in. Mizzou held a 56-39 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

Mizzou never trailed throughout the contest and led by as many as 21 points at 69-48 with 2:57 left in the fourth quarter.

For the game, Mizzou shot 52 percent (23-for-44) from the field, 47 percent (8-for-17) from 3-point range and 83 percent (15-for-18) from the free throw line.

Auburn was limited to 31 percent (19-for-60) shooting from the floor, including an 0-for-9 mark from beyond the 3-point arc.

The Tigers return to action at No. 16 Kentucky on Thursday for a 7 p.m. CT tipoff.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Northwest baseball defeats Oklahoma Christian in 11 innings Sunday

Posted on February 21, 2016February 22, 2016

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team beat Oklahoma Christian, 5-4, on Sunday afternoon in 11 innings at Dobson Field in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Bearcats move above .500 at 5-4 on the year while the Eagles fall to 5-6.

Carson Smith pitched 3.0 innings of one-hit relief ball for the win. He did not walk a batter and worked perfect ninth and 10th innings.

Nick Gotta was 2-for-4 on the day with a pair of walks. He delivered the go-ahead RBI in the 11th on a double.

Northwest scored two runs in the third, two in the seventh and one in the 11th. The Bearcats finished with 12 hits and did not commit an error.

Aaron Barratt led off the third with a double down the left field line and scored on a Kolby Greenslade RBI single to center. After Greenslade stole second, he scored on Garrett Fort’s RBI single to right, making it 2-0 Northwest.

Greenslade got things going for Northwest in the seventh with a leadoff infield single. Fort reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on an error. Ozzie Adams singled to center, driving in Fort to tie the game, 3-3. After Gotta was intentionally walked, Jay Hrdlicka reached on a fielder’s choice but Adams scored on a throwing error by the second baseman to give the Bearcats a 4-3 lead.

With two outs in the 11th inning, Adams singled to right field. Gotta delivered the go-ahead RBI on a double down the left field line, scoring Adams from first to give Northwest the lead, 4-3.

Smith gave up a one out single in the bottom of the 11th but then got a flyout to center for the second out. With two down, Adams ran down a blooping fly to short right center to end the game.

MIAA play begins for the Bearcats in their home opener on Friday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m. against Northeastern State.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri State loses at home to Loyola (IL) 75-62

Posted on February 21, 2016February 21, 2016

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Devon Turk scored 20 points and hit five 3-pointers as Loyola of Chicago used a big second half to beat Missouri State 75-62 on Sunday.

Turk was 7-of-10 shooting from the field, including 5 of 6 behind the arc.

Turk hit a 3-pointer with 7:12 remaining to extend Loyola’s lead to 62-50 and the Ramblers led by double figures the rest of the way.

Missouri State went without a field goal for nearly six minutes in the second half, which ended on a dunk by Camyn Boone with 4:42 left.

Montel James added 14 points with 10 rebounds for Loyola (14-14, 7-9 Missouri Valley). He made 10 of the Ramblers’ 14 free throws — on just 12 attempts. Milton Doyle added 12 points.

Dequon Miller led Missouri State (11-17, 7-9) with 16 points. Boone had 12 while Jarred Dixon and Chris Kendrix added 10 apiece.

— Associated Press —

No. 15 Missouri baseball drops series finale against Seton Hall

Posted on February 21, 2016February 21, 2016

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Mizzou Baseball dropped its series finale with Seton Hall, 9-1, on Sunday afternoon at City of Palms Park, splitting the four-game series with the Pirates after taking the first two games. Seton Hall got a single run in each of the first three innings off of starter Ryan Lee (Gandview, Mo.) and another in the fifth. The Pirates then broke the game open with a four-run seventh to put the game out of reach.

SS Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.), CF Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) and C Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) each tallied doubles for the offense and senior Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) added three hits with a double as well, his first multiple-hit game of the season. Seton Hall’s Zach Pendergast earned the win after going 7.0 innings, allowing just six hits and a run while striking out eight against just one walk. Lee took the loss.

Lee gave up a run in the first inning as the first two Seton Hall batters tallied hits. Leadoff man Derek Jenkins singled up the middle and promptly stole second. He was then doubled in by SS Chris Chiaradio to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Howard made a good defensive play at short, snaring a liner at short and doubling off the runner at second to end the inning.

After Mizzou went in order in the first, Lee was snake-bitten a bit. After a pair of strikeouts, he appeared to get the final out of the frame on a fly ball to shallow left, but LF Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) lost it in the sun allowing a run to score from first, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Seton Hall added another run in the third and another in the fourth as Mizzou’s bats stayed quiet. The Tigers got leadoff singles in the fourth and fifth innings from Ring and Lavy, respectively, but failed to score in each inning as Seton Hall took a 4-0 lead through five.

Reliever Cole Bartlett (Williamsburg, Ind.) pitched a stellar sixth inning, retiring the side on nine pitches and Mizzou then got a one-out double from Howard in the bottom half but could not bring him home.

Bartlett came back out for the seventh inning and wound up loading the bases and walking in another Seton Hall run, giving the Pirates a 5-0 lead. Liam Carter (Highland Park, Ill.) came on in relief and surrendered a double to clear the bases as Seton Hall extended the lead to 8-0.

Mizzou got a run back in the seventh inning after back-to-back hits from Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) and Connor Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) and a wild pitch, cutting the lead to 8-1. But that was all Mizzou could scratch across that frame. The Tigers then got a walk from Kirby McGuire (Round Rock, Texas) and a ground rule double from Ring in the eighth, but again couldn’t find a timely hit with runners in scoring position. Seton Hall added its final run in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded walk.

Mizzou will stay in Florida next week and play Florida International in Miami on Wednesday (Feb. 24) before playing another four-game series vs. Hofstra at City of Palms Park next weekend.

— Mizzou Athletics —