Date: November 5, 2009
Contact: Yancey Walker, Head Coach
Grizzly Basketball Office
417-255-7993

    FORT SCOTT, Kan. – A shaky start by their opponent coupled with their own hot hand from the field in the first half helped the Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Basketball team pick up its second win of the season Wednesday night, Nov. 4, when they defeated the Fort Scott Community College Greyhounds 64-48 at Fort Scott, Kan.
    The Grizzlies (2-0) took advantage of 15 first half turnovers by the Greyhounds and netted seven three-pointers in the period to take a 42-20 advantage into halftime.  Although the Greyhounds held the Grizzlies scoreless for the first seven minutes of the second half, it wasn’t enough to overcome their first half deficit.
    “These guys made the plays they needed to make to win the game,” Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Yancey Walker said.  “It appeared we were in a bit of a funk, but that was only for a short period of time.  The rest of the time we were getting the shots we wanted, they just weren’t falling at the same rate as they did in the first half, so that made it look worse than it was.  Even with Fort Scott’s flurry, they never got the lead under 11 points.”
    “The first 12 minutes of the second half, we held them to 9 points,” Fort Scott Head Coach Michael Cook said in a published report.  “That’s our defensive scheme; we just didn’t come with it in the first half.  But when (the Grizzlies) hit 7 three-pointers in the first half and make 7 of 11 two’s, you end up in a hole like that.  I thought we weren’t aggressive on defense, and it showed in the score in the first half.”
    Grizzly freshman point guard Chris Mason led the team on the scoreboard with 17 points, hitting four of four three-pointers along the way.  Redshirt freshman wing Tommy Williams followed with 13 points, and freshman guard Twann Oakley had 10.
    “Chris Mason played really well, and Tommy Williams had his best scoring night thus far,” Walker said.  “Twann Oakley sent us into halftime on another high with a huge three-pointer as time ran out.”
    Other Grizzlies scoring were redshirt freshman point guard Kyle Armour and freshman forward Nathane Simniok each with 6 points, freshman forward Teddy Simniok with 5, freshman wing Gage Wooten 4, and freshman wing Quinton Pippen 3.
    Teddy Simniok led the team in rebounding with nine grabs, followed by Williams with eight.
    The Grizzlies will host their season home opener at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, when Northeast Mississippi Community College of Booneville comes to the West Plains Civic Center.  “We play an athletic team on Monday, but we’ll be prepared for them,” Walker promised.
    Colton’s Steak House and Grill will sponsor the contest.  “I hope that everyone will come out to support these young men in their first home game as a Grizzly.  I also want to thank Colton’s for sponsoring the game,” Walker said.
    For more information about the Grizzly Basketball program, visit the team’s Web site at http://www.wp.missouristate.edu/grizzly/bb.htm.