MIAA TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Griffons were playing at 12 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2008. Their opponent was the nemesis, the number one seeded Lady Blues from Washburn.

For the first ten minutes, the game was very competitive, then with a couple of bad calls by the referees the game was a blow out. It went from a 2 point game to a 20 lead almost instantly.

There were few good points left for the Griffons. But the Griffs never gave up. They fought hard the rest of the game. The final score was 78-63. This marked the third time this season that the Lady Blues have beaten the Griffons.

Some good things that came out of this game, Rachel Luteyn had a great game. Her presence inside was huge. She had 2 blocks and slowed the the inside game of the Blues. Lauren Nolke also had a great game tieing with Jill Johnson for the leading scorer with 13.

If Corkey Stiger would not have been on fire from the three point line this game would have been very close. She made seven 3-pointers, which tied the tournament record. The Lady Blues
shot 36 three pointers breaking the old record.

So now we must look to next year. The underclassmen showed that they ready to take up the challenge. They handled the pressure of the tournament very well. It will be hard to replace the seniors. It will be interesting to see who will step up to take their place.

Then there is Ashleigh Curry. If she can get her grades up; she will make an instant impact to the team. Last season she was a major force on the court. Teams feared her and had to double team her every game. Several times she busted out for 30 points and once over 40.

The rest of the MIAA had better watch out! Next year is our year. I think that is what I am supposed to say here. Oh wait I am not a Cubs fan.


Go Griffs!!!

ALL MIAA SELECTIONS

Today the MIAA announced their top honors for the '07-'08 basketball season. The top honor went to Michelle Stueve of Emporia State.

Missouri Western had three players receive honors this year.

Yanique Javois the third leading scorer in the MIAA with 18.6 ppg and 484 total points. She received first team all conference honors.

Jill Johnson received second team all conference honors. She ended the regular season with 465 points and 208 rebounds.

Chemia Woods was the third player to receive honors. She was picked to the all conference defensive team this year. She ended the regular season with 68 steals and 129 rebounds. The rebound stat is amazing considering she is usually the smallest player on the floor.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

With Saturday night's win over Missouri Southern, Missouri Western clinched a berth in the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City.

The Griffons dominated the game from the start. Chemia Woods was very close to getting a triple double, only 3 rebounds and 2 points shy. Jill Johnson scored 19 and Yanique Javois scored 26 in the 70 to 58 victory. Tierra Ford chipped in for 9.

With this win they snuffed out the chances Fort Hays State had at the tournament.

The Griffons next battle is Thursday, March 6@ 12 p.m. against Washburn the #1 seed.

GO GRIFFS!!!!!

ROAD TO THE TOURNEY STILL OPEN!!!!!

With loses to Washburn and Emporia State, the rivals had had done their part. All Western had to do was win. All they had to do was go into a hostile environment and pull off an upset of a higher ranked team. All they had to do was beat their perennial rival NORTHWEST.

In the beginning it was looking like the road was going to be closed with Northwest pulling out to a 12 point lead and the ref's whistles going crazy on the Griffs.

With two fouls very early in the game, Jill Johnson, one of the leading scorers for Western, was on the bench. This is when freshman Tierra Ford would step up with a career high 24 points and 6 big rebounds.

In the final seconds of the game Ford missed a three pointer giving the Bearcats another chance to take the lead in a 66-65 game. But she would not be denied. As the Bearcats brought it down Ford swiped the ball and went in for the easy layup, driving in the final nail.

68-65 final.

Now for the scenario for Saturday nights matchups.

Truman has sealed there spot in the tournament with Fort Hays loss. So it is down to Wewstern and Fort Hays State fighting for the final spot.

Missouri Western is one game up on Fort Hays. But they have the tie breaker advantage on Western. So if Fort Hays wins saturday then Western has to also win to make it to the tourney.
If Fort Hays loses then Western is automatically in whether they win or lose.

GO GRIFFS!!!

Tournament Chances

With two games left of the regular season, the Griffin women are tied for the last spot in the tournament. Fort Hays State and Missouri Western are tied and Truman State is one game ahead. The Griffins have the schedule advantage though going into the last games. They have to play Northwest and Missouri Southern. Fort Hays has to play Washburn, the number one team in the MIAA and Northwest; while Truman has to play Emporia State, the number two team, and Pittsburg State. I hate to hope for bad luck or try to jinx someone, but in this case get out your voodoo dolls.

GO GRIFFS!!!! 

Griffons vs. Gorrillas The Rematch

Tomorrow night, Feb 13, the Griffons will be trying to show their dominance over the Gorillas of Pittsburgh State again. In their last meeting, the women defeated them with a final score of 77-75.  Western leads the all-time series with Pitt State 46-14. The women are coming into this game battered and bruised with several players injured, and a 5 game losing streak. The Griffons will need big games from their seniors Chemia Woods, Jill Johnson, and Yanique Javois. They scored 73 of the 87 points in the last game with Javois scoring a career high 39.  They will be looking for a win to get them on the right track for the MIAA tournament that is coming up in March. 

The Griffon women showed they have spirit while playing the Gorillas of Pitt. State Wed. night. In a game almost mirroring the Truman Sate game a little over a week ago, which they lost in the last seconds, they seemed to have everything go wrong as soon as they would start a run. They were up by as much as 14 points a couple of times only to be tied with 5 seconds to go in the game. That was then the top scorer of the game, senior Jill Johnson with 24 points, stepped up to the line and put down two free throws that would win the game for the Grifffons. It was the seniors in this game that made the difference. Chemia Woods, Yanique Javois and Jill Johnson combined for the 55 points to lead the team to the 77-75 victory. Their next test will be with #16 ranked Emporia state on Jan. 27.