WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Basketball team put its new national ranking to the test Tuesday night, Jan. 25, at the West Plains Civic Center arena.

The Grizzlies, who had just hours earlier learned they were the No. 2 junior college team in the nation, defended that ranking with an 88-81 victory over the State Fair Community College Roadrunners of Sedalia, Mo.

The new ranking matches the highest ranking ever received by the team, which came in the Feb. 15, 2000, National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) poll.

Tuesday’s victory upped the Grizzlies’ overall season record to 21-2 and put them on top of the Region 16 rankings with a 3-0 record.  State Fair, 17-4 overall, is now in second place in the region with a 2-1 record.

“This was a hard-fought Region 16 game,” Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Yancey Walker said.  “State Fair deserves a lot of credit.  There is no reason why they shouldn’t be ranked.”

The Grizzlies started off the contest with two quick three pointers and continued building their first-half lead to as much as 14 points before State Fair battled back and narrowed the lead to 41-35 at halftime.

In the second half, the Grizzlies once again went up by as much as 14 points before State Fair came racing back and narrowed the lead to just 2 points with a little over a minute remaining in the game.  But some crucial fouls by the Roadrunners sent the Grizzlies to the free throw line where they sealed the win.

“We did a good job of making plays down the stretch, even though several times those plays simply consisted of making free throws,” Walker said.  “In the second half, we were 23 of 28 from the line with Lonnie Hayes, Jr., Teddy Simniok and Quinton Pippen only missing one apiece and Travis Wilkins only missing two.”

Walker also praised the efforts of the Grizzly Cheer Team and the fans, who spurred the team on when the score tightened up.  “I want to thank the cheerleaders and the crowd for how loud it was for that last minute and a half when we really needed it.  They stepped up big time!,” he explained.

Statistically, the teams were close.  The Grizzlies hit 27 of 58 shots from the field for 47 percent, seven of 21 from three-point range for 33 percent, and 27 of 36 from the free throw line for 75 percent.  The Roadrunners were 27 of 67 from the field for 40 percent, eight of 27 from three-point range for 30 percent, and 76 percent from the free throw line.  The Grizzlies also had nine assists and eight turnovers, while the Roadrunners recorded 15 turnovers and six assists.

“We did a good job of taking care of the basketball most of the night,” Walker said.  “When they decided to press us late, we did a good job against the press itself, then we got a little too stagnant against their half-court defense.”

Hayes led the Grizzlies on the scoreboard with 40 points.  Wilkins added 19 and Pippen 12.
State Fair was led by Travis Jordan with 20 points, Torres Roundtree with 19, Matthew Webb 14, Jerel Partlow 12 and Alfonzo Houston 10.
“I’m proud of our team,” Walker said.  “They had a lot riding on this game – first place in the region and we had just moved up to No. 2 in the national rankings.  The bull’s-eye on our back will keep getting bigger and bigger as we go.  We have to make sure that we approach games as the hunters and not the hunted.”

The Grizzlies will next take the court at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, when they travel to West Memphis, Ark., to play Mid-South Community College.  They return home for a key Region 16 contest against Mineral Area College at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1, in the civic center arena.

For more information about the Grizzly Basketball program, visit the team’s website at http://www.wp.missouristate.edu/grizzly/bb.htm or call the Grizzly Basketball office at 417-255-7993.