Missouri has a national basketball champion – not the national basketball champion – but a national champion nonetheless. The Southwest Missouri State University Lady Bears won their 5th straight game to capture the Women’s National Invitation Tournament last night in Springfield. The Lady Bears defeated West Virginia 78-70 at the Hammons Center on the SMS campus. SMS used a 22 to 6 run in the second half to put the game out of reach, though West Virginia did fight back to get within 8. The win helps ease the frustration of SMS, which was overlooked for the women’s NCAA Tournament though the Lady Bears won the Missouri Valley Conference this season.
