Date: February 9, 2009
Contact: Yancey Walker, Head Coach
Grizzly Basketball Office
417-255-7993

WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Basketball team picked up its first Region 16 victory of the season Saturday, Feb. 7, by defeating the Moberly Area Community College Greyhounds 83-79 at the West Plains Civic Center arena.

The Grizzlies’ record now stands at 12-12 overall and 1-3 in the region.

“I’m very proud of their effort,” Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Yancey Walker said of his players.  “It was a game where everyone contributed.  They gave it everything they had and played as well as they did before Christmas, and that’s good.  Now is the time to peak.”

Although Moberly’s record is 6-18, Walker said the Greyhounds are a good team.  He believes good practices by the Grizzlies last week gave his team the edge, and noted sophomores Devon Peltier, Logan Nutt and Anthony Allison really stepped up as team leaders.

The Grizzlies held a narrow 38-36 lead at halftime, then outscored the Greyhounds 45-43 in the second half to secure the win.

Peltier led the team in scoring with 22 points, followed by Allison with 21, freshman Xavier Jones 16, freshman Terrell Bruce 7, sophomore Youri Anissovets and freshman Rae-Vonn Banks each with 4, freshman Taylor Jones and sophomore Chris Williams each with 3, Nutt 2, and freshman Ivan Gombovic 1.

Xavier Jones proved to be the most effective from the field Saturday, hitting four of five shots from the field, both of his three-point attempts and all six of his free throws.  As a team, the Grizzlies were 26 of 49 from the field for 53 percent, five of 15 from three-point range for 33 percent, and 26 of 35 from the charity stripe for 74 percent.

Desmond Hickman of Moberly led the Greyhounds on the scoreboard with 21 points.  He was followed by Same Pearson with 20, Sedric Martin 11, Chris Williams 10, Victor Leak Jr. 6, Darian Sain 5, Eric Jones 4 and Eric Saunders 2.

Moberly was 25 of 60 from the field for 42 percent, eight of 26 from three-point range for 31 percent and 21 of 31 from the free throw line for 67.7 percent.

The Grizzlies outrebounded the Greyhounds 31-29, with Allison collecting the most grabs at six.

The Grizzlies will return to the civic center court at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, when they host Region 16 rival State Fair Community College of Sedalia in a make-up game that was originally scheduled for Jan. 27.  The game was postponed due to inclement weather.

For more information about the Grizzly Basketball team, visit the Grizzly Basketball Web site at http://www.wp.missouristate.edu/grizzly/bb.htm.