University Communications 

Grizzly Basketball Announces 2008-09 Schedule

    WEST PLAINS, Mo. – “On paper, we may have the toughest schedule in my five years at Missouri State University-West Plains.”
    So says Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Brian Ostermann on the line up of games he and Assistant Coach Yancey Walker have scheduled for the 2008-09 season.  In addition to the always strong teams of the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Region 16, the schedule includes Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) of Miami, Iowa Western Community College of Council Bluffs, Trinity Valley Community College of Athens, Texas, and Redlands Community College of El Reno, Okla.
    “We play NEO again, and they went to last year’s final eight.  We will play national power Iowa Western home and away.  Our Thanksgiving trip takes us to Fort Smith, Ark., where we will face a Trinity Valley team coached by Pat Smith, a former Moberly (Area Community College) coach.  Redlands comes in here for our Holiday Classic in December, and they’re a national power.  It’s going to be all we can handle, and it should make us a better basketball team come March madness,” Ostermann said.
    The schedule includes 24 contests against NJCAA Division I teams, as well as games against teams that hail from nine different states, Ostermann pointed out.  “It’s a loaded schedule.  It’s going to be a lot of fun,” he said.  “We are going for our fourth straight 20-win season, and that will be a challenge with this schedule.  In the end, I believe a tough schedule always prepares us best for the post-season.”
    The Grizzlies will start the season on the road Oct. 30 at the Moberly Classic in Moberly, Mo., where they will face Mesa (Ariz.) Community College during the two-day tournament’s first round.  They’ll conclude the tournament against Simmons College of Kentucky from Louisville on Nov. 1.
    The Grizzlies will return to West Plains the following weekend to host their home-opening Tip-Off Classic Nov. 6-8.  The contest will feature Olney (Ill.) Central College, MidAmerica Nazarene University junior varsity squad from Olathe, Kan., and NEO.
    Missouri State-West Plains will then take to the road for a Nov. 12 contest against Carl Albert State College in Poteau, Okla., and for the Iowa Western Community College Classic Nov. 14-15 in Council Bluffs where the Grizzlies will face the host team and Northeast Community College of Norfolk, Neb.  Carl Albert comes to West Plains for a game against the Grizzlies on Nov. 22 before the Grizzlies travel to Fort Smith, Ark., for the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 28-29.  The Grizzlies will play Trinity Valley and Ranger (Texas) College at the event.
    In December, the Grizzlies will travel to Arkansas Dec. 4 and 5 to play junior varsity squads from Central Baptist College in Conway and Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, respectively.  Then, they will return home to close out the first half of the season with the annual Grizzly Holiday Classic Dec. 11-13.  Featured teams include Redlands Community College, Shorter College from Little Rock, Ark., and Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College.
    The annual Physical Therapy Specialists Clinic/West Plains Surgery Center Classic will kick off the second half of the schedule Jan. 9-10.  Joining the Grizzlies in the event will be Technical Career Institutes of New York City and Iowa Western.
    Missouri State-West Plains will begin Region 16 competition Jan. 17 at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo.  Other region contests are set for Jan. 24 in West Plains against Three Rivers Community College, Jan. 27 in West Plains against State Fair Community College, Feb. 3 in West Plains against Mineral Area, Feb. 7 in West Plains against Moberly Area Community College, Feb. 14 at Three Rivers in Poplar Bluff, Mo., Feb. 18 at State Fair in Sedalia, Mo., and Feb. 28 at Moberly.  The Feb. 28 contest will be the last regular season game for the Grizzlies.
    The remaining games scheduled for the second half of the season include Jan. 19 against Arkansas Tech University junior varsity squad in Russellville, Jan. 29 at Arkansas Baptist University in Little Rock, Feb. 21 against Arkansas Baptist in West Plains, and Feb. 23 against Arkansas Tech JV in West Plains.
    Ostermann pointed out the Grizzlies will play 15 games at home and 15 on the road.  “This is the greatest number of road games a Grizzly team will have ever played in the regular season,” he said.  “With the entire post-season schedule being on the road – the region tournament returns to Rolla and the campus of Missouri University of Science & Technology (formerly the University of Missouri-Rolla), and the district playoff is at the Region 4 champion’s home court – and the fact that we were very good on the road last season with a 10-2 record, my hope is that our 15 road games will just make us tougher and more prepared when March arrives.
    “I anticipate we will be right in the mix for the championship again this season,” Ostermann continued.  “The region is so good and so balanced right now that anyone can win it.  We look forward to making another run at the championship.  We are by no means satisfied with winning 27 games and finishing second.  We have work to do, and I am looking forward to fall conditioning in August.”
    TICKETS
    Ostermann pointed out that ticket prices to the Grizzlies’ home games this season will remain the same this year – $4 per seat for lower level seating and $2 per seat for balcony seating at the West Plains Civic Center.
    “Grizzly Basketball is the best entertainment value in our area,” he said.  “A family of four can get into the game for as little as $8 for balcony seating.  It’s nearly impossible to do anything for $8!  I think the value of entertainment at a Grizzly game is second to none!”
    For more information about the Grizzly Basketball program, contact the Grizzly Basketball office at 417-255-7993 or visit the Grizzly Basketball Web site at http://www.wp.missouristate.edu/Grizzly/bb.htm.