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Category: College

Northwest Missouri State to host “Basketball Bash” this Thursday

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The Northwest Missouri State University men’s and women’s basketball teams’ annual “Basketball Bash” to kick off the 2012-13 basketball season is lined up for 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 18, in Bearcat Arena.

Admission is free with the doors opening at 7:45 p.m. The event will begin with food and fun for Bearcat fans of all ages. Free pizza and drinks will be provided for the first 200 people.

The program begins at 8 p.m. and will feature performances by the Bearcat Cheerleaders and Steppers, interactive contests for fans to compete with players and a look at the 2012-2013 squads on the floor. The evening will also include promotional giveaways with the grand prize being an iPad.

The Northwest men are coached by Ben McCollum who enters his fourth season at the wheel of the Bearcat team. McCollum was named 2011-12 MIAA Coach of the Year and the Division II National Coach of the Year by CollegeInsider.

The Bearcat men are the defending MIAA Champions and were deemed No. 19 by the Division II Bulletin Preseason Poll for this upcoming season. The men return a solid trio of seniors including Preseason All-American and First Team All-MIAA selection DeShaun Cooper, alongside Alex Sullivan and DeAngelo Hailey.

Also returning are juniors Dillon Starzl and Bryston Williams. Last year Williams was near the top of the league in free-throw percentage while Starzl averaged 4.3 rebounds per game and shot 56 percent from the field during his sophomore campaign.

The Northwest women are led by first-year Head Coach Mark Kellogg. Kellogg is a three-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and two-time Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Region Coach of the Year. Kellogg has been a fixture in postseason play, having participated in the last five NCAA Division II tournaments.

The Bearcat women return seniors Alexis Boeh and Ashley Thayer to lead a young nucleus. Kellogg will also look for positive contributions from Maggie Marnin and Annie Matthews in the post as both gained valuable experience as true freshmen last year. Also making her debut for the Bearcats will be transfer Victoria Naylor, who sat out last year due to transfer rules.  Naylor will be counted on for a positive contribution in the Bearcats backcourt this season.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Missouri Western falls to No. 16 in latest AFCA Top 25 poll

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The Missouri Western football team dropped 12 spots to 16th in this weeks AFCA top 25 Division II coaches poll which was released on Monday morning.

After opening the season 6-0 the Griffons fell for the first time this season last Saturday by a score of 31-30 against Missouri Southern in St. Joseph, Mo.

The schedule does not get any easier for the Griffons as they travel to 7th ranked Pittsburg State on Saturday, October 20th. Kickoff is set for 2:00 pm in Pittsburg, Kan.

MWSU is 6-1 overall and 5-1in MIAA play.

The Griffons have been ranked in the top 25 in the last 15 polls and have received votes in 33 of the last 37 coaches polls. This is the 43rd time under Partridge that a Griffon team is ranked in the top-25.

Click here to view the entire AFCA Top 25 poll.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Northwest men ranked No. 19 by Division II Bulletin

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The Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team was tabbed No. 19 by the Division II Bulletin Preseason Poll for the upcoming 2012-13 season.

The Bearcats are the defending MIAA Champions after going 22-7 a season ago and 15-5 in the MIAA. The Bearcats also claimed the program’s 13th trip to the NCAA tournament as fourth-year Head Coach Ben McCollum was named MIAA Coach of the Year.

A trio of seniors will return in 2012-13 for the Bearcats including Preseason All-American DeShaun Cooper. Cooper, who was a First Team All-MIAA selection a year ago, led Northwest in scoring with 14.7 points per game and was in the top three in free-throw percentage.

Along with Cooper, the Bearcats return Alex Sullivan and DeAngelo Hailey to round out the Northwest senior class. Bryston Williams also returns, nearly topping the league in free-throw percentage as Hailey averaged over 10 points per game off the bench and joined Sullivan near the MIAA leaders in three-point percentage.

Junior Dillon Starzl returns in the post for Northwest as the other lone starter to return with Cooper. Starzl averaged 4.3 rebounds per game and shot 56 percent from the field last season.

The Bearcats will hold their annual Bearcat Bash Thursday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. inside Bearcat Arena. Fans can get their first look at the 2012-13 basketball teams and meet the players and coaches.

Northwest opens its season Oct. 29 in exhibition action at the University of Missouri. Game time from Mizzou Arena is set for 7 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Western sits in 11th after day one of MWSU Invitational

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The Missouri Western men’s golf team sits in 11th place after day one of the MWSU Invitational which is being held at the St. Joseph Country Club in St. Joseph, Mo. The Griffons fired 601 (306-295) which is one stroke back of Winona State and two strokes back of Augustana (S.D.). The leader of the event is Central Oklahoma with a 566 (283-283) which is 17 strokes ahead of Arkansas Tech University who fired a 583 (303-280).

Tyler Gast leads the charge for the Griffons firing a 145 (71-74) putting him in a tie for 9th place. Weston Apple is in a tie for 36th with a 150 (79-71) while Scott Sheldon, Derek Hawkins and James O’Brien fired 152 (78-74), 154 (78-76) and 158 (80-78) respectively.

Eric Kline of Central Oklahoma is in first place firing a 137 (67-70) which is five strokes ahead of teammate Russ Puser, Northeastern State’s Zach Tucker and Missouri Southern State’s Ryan Burek.

The final round of the event will be a shotgun start tomorrow morning at 9:00 am.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcats’ Goodburn named MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week

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After a big Bearcat football victory over then-No. 1 Pittsburg State Saturday, Northwest Missouri State sophomore punter Kyle Goodburn was titled as a MIAA Player of the Week Monday.

Goodburn played a crucial role for the Bearcats this weekend as he averaged 46.2 yards per punt and helped guide special teams to set up two vital stops for Northwest’s defense.

Goodburn punted six times pinning the Gorillas inside the 10-yard line three times including once inside the 10-yard line. He continues to lead the league in punting average and is also fourth in NCAA Division II averaging 45.38 yards per punt.

Goodburn originates from Shawnee Mission North High School in Roland Park, Kan.

The Bearcats return to action Saturday against Missouri Southern. Kickoff from Joplin is scheduled for 2 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Big 12 hands out weekly football awards

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Seth Doege (Texas Tech), Cody Davis (Texas Tech) and Quinn Sharp (Oklahoma State) have been named Big 12 Football Players of the Week, as selected by a media panel. Doege (offense) was honored for the third time in his career while Sharp (special teams) picked up his second career award. Davis (defense) was recognized for the first time.

Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week
Seth Doege, Texas Tech, QB, Sr, Wollforth, Texas

Seth Doege led the Red Raiders to a 49-14 upset over No. 5/4 West Virginia. The 35-point win marked the largest victory over a Top 5 team in school history. Doege threw for a career high 499 yards along with six touchdowns. He was 32-for-42 on the day and became just the fifth quarterback in Tech history to reach the 50 career touchdown plateau. Doege helped TTU take a 35-7 halftime lead as he was 21-of-30 for 336 yards and four TDs at the break. Texas Tech was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week.

Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
Cody Davis, Texas Tech, S, Sr, Stephenville, Texas

Cody Davis led a defensive effort that held a potent West Virginia offense to 14 points in Texas Tech’s 49-14 win. He logged a season and game high 13 tackles along with two pass breakups. WVU converted just 30 percent of its third down attempts and 22 percent on fourth down.

Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week
Quinn Sharp, OSU, PK/P, Sr, Mansfield, Texas

Quinn Sharp averaged 53 yards on five punts, had four kickoffs that went for touchbacks and connected on field goals from 49 and 42 yards in Oklahoma State’s 20-14 win at Kansas. In a scoreless game, he helped set up OSU’s first touchdown when his 70-yard punt was downed at the KU 8-yard line. After a Jayhawk three-and-out, OSU scored the game’s first points on a 51-yard drive. Sharp had a second punt of over 70 yards and a special teams tackle on a KU kickoff return.

— Big 12 Press Release —

Kansas State fourth in initial BCS Standings

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Following its hard-fought 27-21 victory Saturday at No. 25 Iowa State to move to 6-0, Kansas State was ranked fourth in the initial BCS Standings released Sunday night on ESPN.

The No. 4 ranking was the highest for the Wildcats (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) in an opening BCS poll, while it was the highest overall since sitting in third place for five-straight weeks to end the 1998 season. Earlier Sunday, Kansas State was slotted No. 3 in the USA Today Sports Coaches’ Poll and No. 4 in the Associated Press Top 25.
Kansas State, one of 10 unbeaten teams in the BCS Top 25, was joined by Big 12 members Oklahoma (ninth), West Virginia (13th), Texas Tech (17th), TCU (23rd), Iowa State (24th) and Texas (25th) in the first poll of 2012.

The Wildcats will travel to Morgantown, W.Va., on Saturday to take on the Mountaineers in FOX’s College Football Game of the Week. Kickoff from Milan Puskar Stadium is set for 6:05 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

No. 4 Griffons get upset by Missouri Southern, 31-30

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The 4th ranked Missouri Western football team fell 31-30 in a heart-breaker against the Missouri Southern Lions on homecoming Saturday. The Griffons turned the ball over on its final two possessions which ultimately gave them their first loss of the season. MWSU falls to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in MIAA play.

The Griffons opened up the scoring in the first quarter when Travis Partridge hit Reggie Jordan from five yards out capping a four play 45 yard drive giving the Griffons the 7-0 lead. In the second quarter the scoring picked up with a combined 27 points scored between the two teams.

The Lions used a 14 play 75 yard drive which was capped off by a Kellen Cox one yard touchdown run. The Lions used a fake punt and a couple Griffon penalties to keep the scoring drive alive. The Griffons responded the next drive with a fake punt of their own. Jordan took the snap and ran 86 yards for his second touchdown of the game giving the Griffons a 14-7 lead with 11:54 to play in the half.

The two teams traded field goals the next two possession giving the Griffons the 17-10 lead after Taylor Anderson nailed a 27 yard field goal with 1:46 to play in the half. Missouri Southern kept calm responding with a touchdown drive ending the half. Ne’ront Threatt scored as time expired from two yards out tying the score at 17 heading to the locker room.

The Griffons had 245 yards of total offense in the half with 165 coming on the ground. Jordan had 86 yards rushing while Partridge had 46 and Michael Hill had 33. Partridge completed 10-of-11 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown while Derek Libby had two receptions for 34 yards. Stephen Juergens led the Griffons with six tackles while David Bass and Raymond Cottman had five tackles.

MSSU had 226 yards with 128 on the ground. Cox had 13 carries for 52 yards with a touchdown. Cox completed 4-of-9 passes for 68 yards with Bryant Venson had three catches for 59 yards. Demond Horsely and Breon Matlock both had three tackles at the half.

In the third quarter the Griffons found themselves in an unfamiliar situation when the Lions drove 74 yards on seven plays capped by a Bryant 38 yard run which gave MSSU the lead 24-17 with 7:14 to play in the third. The Griffons responded on the next drive when Partridge hit Kyle Knox for a 61 yards touchdown setting MWSU on the MSSU one. Partridge took the next snap in tying the score at 24 with 6:02 to play in the third.

The Griffons used a 53 yards and a 29 yard field goal from Anderson giving them a 30-24 lead with 4:34 to play.

With it 2nd and 10 form the Southern 37 yard line the lightening came forcing a rain delay which started at 4:06 pm with 3:56 to play in the game. The game would resume 54 minutes later with the Lions coming out ready to play. They drove down the field scoring with two minutes left on the clock after a JJ Jones one yard plunge giving the Lions the 31-30 lead.

The Griffons took the ball to the Lion 38 yard line but a fumble gave the ball right back to MSSU. The Griffon defense held the Lions on their next three plays giving the Griffons the ball back at its 30 yard line with 40 second to play. The next play would be a turnover which sealed the Lions victory. They improve to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in MIAA play.

Missouri Western finished with 493 yards of offense with 260 coming on the ground. This marked the first game in two years that the Griffons have lost when rushing for over 200 yards. Partridge had 67 yards while Hill finished with 53 yards on 14 carries. Kyle Knox caught five passes for 103 yards while Partridge connected on 20-of-27 passes for 233 yards.

The Lions had 374 yards with 237 on the ground. Venson had 91 yards on five carries while Threatt had 37 yards on seven carries.

Juergens finished with 11 tackles while Bass and Cottman chipped in seven apiece. Aaron Hall led the Lions with eight tackles with six being solo. Demond Horsely had seven tackles all of which were solo.

The Griffons return to action on Saturday, October 20 against #1 Pittsburg State in Pittsburg, Kan. Kickoff is set for 2:00 pm in Carnie Smith Field.

— MWSU Sports Information —

Bearcats roll in second half to knock off No. 1 Pitt State

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Down two touchdowns to the nation’s top-ranked team, the game and perhaps its season teetering, Northwest Missouri State delivered a response fitting of its championship pedigree Saturday.

Quarterback Trevor Adams threw for two touchdowns, James Franklin ran for two more and the defense stepped up with a succession of big second-half plays as the Bearcats defeated Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rival Pittsburg State 31-21 in their annual Fall Classic in Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.

“Our program’s had a lot of big wins . . . and this certainly is a big one,” coach Adam Dorrel said after his team preserved both its league title hopes and run at a ninth consecutive Division II playoff berth. Now 6-1 overall and 5-1 in the rugged MIAA, Northwest might not have been able to afford another loss on either front.

The showdown against Pitt State kicked off a five-game closing stretch that’s the most challenging in college football – not only in D-II but across every one of the NCAA’s four competitive classifications, based on the records of their remaining opponents. Immediately ahead is a trip Saturday to Missouri Southern, 5-2 and an upset winner over Missouri Western earlier Saturday.

The Bearcats move on with noticeable head of steam.

Against Pitt State (5-1), they struggled first with the weather – persistent rain and two lightning delays, the second stopping play for 30 minutes early in the game – and then for a little more than a half with both the Gorillas’ defense and pass-minded offense. They trailed 7-0 at the half, then 14-0 when PSU’s Anthony Abenoja hit Luke Rampy with a 14-yard TD pass on the opening series of the second half.

“We knew we had to respond quick,” Adams said.

The 6-1 junior did just that, completing the first nine passes he threw in the third quarter. The first five produced Northwest’s first score, a 19-yard touchdown toss to Jordan Simmons that cut the deficit to 14-7. The next offensive series set up a 31-yard field goal by Todd Adolf.

It was the start of a game-turning run of 31 answered points by the Bearcats.

“Momentum kind of shifted their way,” Pitt State coach Tim Beck said. “We couldn’t get it stopped. Both side of the ball. They were very, very good on both sides, and we didn’t respond very well.”

The Gorillas did stir at one critical point, moving to the Northwest 17-yard line in the opening moments of the fourth quarter. There, on fourth-on-1, Beck opted against a field goal and ran 6-3, 238-pound Mandell Dixon into the middle of Bearcats’ line. He was met and stopped for no gain by linebacker Matt Massey and nose guard Travis Chappelear.

The stops kept coming. Travis Manning picked off a pass and returned it 14 yards to the Pitt State 35, and Adams and the offense capitalized. On a gutsy fourth-and-4 call, receiver John Hinchey beat one PSU defender on an inside slant and Adams hit him perfect. Hinchey leapfrogged another defensive back en route to a 29-yard touchdown that put Northwest up 17-14.

The Gorillas’ next possession ended on a sack by Northwest linebacker Eric Reimer. Franklin followed with the first of his TD runs, this one three yards around left end, to make it 24-14 with 5:06 remaining.

Safety Nate DeJong came up with another interception, and Franklin added a clinching 14-yard scoring run just 21 seconds later.

Franklin finished with 115 yards rushing on 20 carries. Adams threw for a total of 192 yards, completing 17 of 30 passes and overcoming a couple of first-half interceptions.

Dorrel, who came up with signature come-from-behind wins against Missouri Western and Midwestern State in last year’s playoffs, now has another in his second season as coach. He pointed to Hinchey, Massey, DeJong and the rest of the Bearcats’ veterans.

“In a game like that, in my opinion, it’s not about play-calling. I believe that,” Dorrel said. “I believe it’s about guys, a group of seniors, who willed it to happen.

“They believed in their coaches, and they believed in each other. It was awesome to hear them say at halftime when we were coming out, ‘We’ve got to keep playing for each other.’ And they played for each other today.”

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Missouri gets whipped by No. 1 Alabama

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Nick Saban came off the field Saturday and sized up the afternoon for No. 1 Alabama.

”It was tough sledding out there today, guys,” the Crimson Tide coach said. The thing is, he was speaking more about the weather than the opponent.

”For the conditions, I was pleased with the balance that we had,” he said.

Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon gave Alabama a pair of 100-yard rushers in the same game for the first time this season and the duo combined for five scores as Alabama beat Missouri 42-10 in a soggy, lightning-delayed game. The Crimson Tide had a season high 533 total yards and held Missouri to 129 yards – and just 3 yards rushing.

”Basically the offensive line came out and they dominated,” Lacy said. ”I mean, every time we made a big run it was because they made a big hole for us.”

Center Barrett Jones put it like this: ”Probably the best we played all year, given we had a break.”

The first matchup of head coaches who were former Kent State teammates was no contest, with Alabama pummeling a team hampered by injuries at quarterback and the offensive line. The defending national champion Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0 SEC) led 21-0 late in the first quarter en route to their 10th straight victory, all by 19 or more points.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel needed no convincing that the Tigers had been steamrolled by a most deserving No. 1.

”That is maybe the best team I have ever seen,” he said.

Alabama did enough things right after the unscheduled break to disappoint the few thousand fans who didn’t leave for good during the 38-minute lightning delay. The Crimson Tide were awaiting the extra-point kick for a 28-0 cushion with 8:40 to go in the half after Yeldon’s second scoring run when the game was halted.

Missouri’s Marcus Murphy set a school single-season record with his fourth kick return for touchdown, a 98-yard kickoff return in the second quarter right after the weather delay.

But the Tigers (3-4, 0-4) have been outscored 126-55 in their first season in the SEC, and have been competitive to the finish in only last week’s 19-15 loss at home to Vanderbilt.

The rest of the season, Pinkel vowed that injuries will be no excuse.

”I told our team we have had a lot of issues, a backup quarterback and all this other stuff,” Pinkel said. ”From this point on, I don’t care. We’re going to move on and try to finish the season the right way.”

Backup quarterback Corbin Berkstresser, a redshirt freshman subbing for injured James Franklin, was 12 for 29 for 126 yards with two interceptions. Missouri has next weekend off and Franklin could return from a left knee strain at home against Kentucky Oct. 27.

Kendial Lawrence had 33 yards on seven carries but Missouri finished with just 3 yards on 28 carries including 53 yards in losses by Berkstresser, 42 of them on a sack-lost fumble at the end of the half.

Lacy had a career-best 177 yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns, including a 73-yarder on the game’s second snap, for his second 100-yard game of the year. Yeldon had 144 yards on 18 carries and two TDs, also his second time in triple digits this season.

”The running backs, we haven’t had a big run in a long time,” Lacy said. ”Our plan was to come in and run the ball, we didn’t know how successful it was going to be. But as it turned out it was very successful.”

Trent Richardson and Jalston Fowler each gained more than 100 yards for Alabama at Mississippi last October.

Alabama remained interception-free on the year after AJ McCarron went 16 for 21 for 171 yards, extending his run to 227 passes without a pick. McCarron showed his toughness, too, staying in the game with a quick wrap after twisting his right knee.

Alabama did not make McCarron available to speak to reporters after the game.

The game was halted after several lightning strikes around Faurot Field. The stands were evacuated just after Yeldon’s 15-yard TD run – the last 5 on a leap for the pylon.

Missouri got some momentum from the unexpected break, but not nearly enough. After play resumed with the extra-point kick, Murphy got the Tigers on the scoreboard with his record-setting kickoff return.

The Tigers were on the verge of slicing further into Alabama’s cushion, advancing to the 8 at the end of the half off a fumbled snap by punter Cody Mandell. But Adrian Hubbard stripped Berkstresser on a sack and C.J. Mosley ended up with the ball at the Missouri 49 with two seconds left.

The Crimson Tide quickly took control of the game, converting a blocked punt by Brandon Collins with a 17-yard drive capped by Yeldon’s 1-yard run to make it 21-0.

Lacy scored on the game’s second snap, cutting back across the field and leaving Kenronte Walker grabbing air at the Missouri 40 on a 73-yard run. Alabama then capitalized on Vinnie Sunseri’s second interception of the year, on a ball in and out of the arms of L’Damian Washington. Running a fleaflicker, McCarron hit Kenny Bell for a 44-yard gain to the 6 to set up Lacy’s second TD on a 3-yarder.

With rain intensifying, Brandon Collins stormed through the three-man shield untouched on the blocked punt.

— Associated Press —

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