MOBERLY, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Basketball team kept its dominance of Region 16 intact Saturday, Feb. 5, with a 78-68 victory over Moberly Area Community College at the Fitzsimmons-John Arena in Moberly, Mo.
The Grizzlies are now 4-0 in Region 16 play and 23-2 overall this season.

“This was a very typical Region 16 road game,” Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Yancey Walker said.  “It was a very physical game in a tough environment.  Moberly has taken down several teams that were ranked or receiving votes at the time they played them at home this season.  We knew that we’d have to fight hard and play well not to be the fourth.”

In the first half, however, the Grizzlies looked like they might be the fourth.  They found themselves trailing 15-27 late in the first half, but they went on a 12-5 run to narrow the Greyhounds’ halftime advantage to 32-27.

“We told the team they would have to make plays to score because Moberly’s defense is as good as it gets,” Walker said.  “They are always in the right spot, and they slide over and help as well as any team.  That being said, we missed some good looks early.  We hadn’t turned the ball over that much at halftime, but we missed several open looks from the perimeter and some shots on the inside.”

Halftime gave the Grizzlies the opportunity to make some adjustments, and they executed those changes efficiently, scoring 51 points offensively and holding the Greyhounds to 36 points defensively.

“We came out with good defensive intensity in the second half,” Walker explained.  “It took us a little bit of time to get rolling, but we finally created some transition baskets and made some of our looks from the outside.”

The Grizzlies connected on 24 of 53 attempts from the field for 45 percent and seven of 19 shots from three-point range for 37 percent.  At the free throw line, they were 23 of 30 for 77 percent.  Sophomore Lonnie Hayes, Jr., led the scoring charge for Missouri State-West Plains with 26 points.  He also hit all 12 attempts from the charity stripe.  Sophomore Teddy Simniok added 19 points to the scoreboard for Missouri State-West Plains.  The Grizzlies also recorded 14 assists, 12 turnovers and nine blocks, five by sophomore Travis Wilkins.

The Greyhounds hit 26 of 64 attempts from the field for 41 percent, six of 22 attempts from three-point range for 27 percent and 10 of 13 free throw attempts for 77 percent.  Daylen Robinson led Moberly in scoring with 23 points, followed by Ronnie Boggs with 14 and Skip Rule with 10.  The Greyhounds also recorded 13 assists and 12 turnovers.

“We were very aggressive, especially in the second half,” Walker said of his Grizzlies.  “Any time we can make more free throws than our opponents shoot, we have a great chance of winning the game.”

The Grizzlies’ Region 16 contests continue Saturday, Feb. 12, when they travel to Poplar Bluff, Mo., to take on the Three Rivers Community College Raiders.

“Next Saturday should be an awesome environment at Three Rivers,” Walker said.  “It’s been a while since we’ve won there, so we need to do everything we can to go over there and take care of business on the floor.”

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.