The Missouri Western men’s basketball team used a 22-0 run midway through the game to pick up a very important home victory 96-88 against Southwest Baptist. The Griffons shot a sizzling 60.0-percent (33-55) from the field and 55.6-percent (10-18) from long range snapping their five game losing streak. Western improves to 10-13 overall and 8-10 in MIAA action. 

The first half was a story of runs as the Griffons opened up scoring 11 of the first 13 points before the Bearcats used a 10-4 run cutting the Griffon lead to three with 16:36 to play. Western kept up the pressure pushing their lead to 10 just minutes later after a Lavonte Douglas lay-up with 14:52 to play. 

The Griffon cooled off for the next eight minutes as the Bearcats went on a 33-9 run claiming a 15 point lead at 45-30 with 4:59 to play. The Griffons closed the half like they started using a 16-0 run in the final 5:30 to take a one point lead at 46-45 after one half of play. 

The Griffons outscored the Bearcats 20-16 in the paint and outrebounded the Bearcats 21-15 in the frame. Western shot 56.3-percent (18-32) from the field with Adrian Thomas and Jonathan Phelps leading the way with 10 points apiece. P’Allen Stinnett collected five points, four rebounds and four assists in frame one. 

The Bearcats shot 47.4-percent (18-38) from the field with Stephen Cotton leading the way with nine points on 4-5 shooting from the field. Both teams made seven long range shots in the half. 

Western never trailed in the second half as they extended their lead to 13 after a Douglas lay-up with 7:51 to play. The Bearcats cut the lead to five after two free throws by Tomas Brock with 4:14 to play, but a big jumper by Deionta Mitchell and five free throws by Stinnett helped the Griffon extend their lead back to 12 with 2:25 to play.  The Bearcats had one more run cutting the Griffon lead to four with 1:03 to play but big free throws by the Griffons drop SBU to 11-13 and 8-10 in MIAA action. 

Western had 42 to points in the paint as Phelps led the way with 20 points on 6-13 shooting. Stinnett finished with 18 while Adrian Thomas, TJ Johnson and DaJuan Harris dumped in 15, 13 and 13 respectively. Douglas finished with a game high 11 rebounds. 

The Bearcats shot 41.4-percent (29-70) from the field with Jacob French leading the way with 19 points on 7-14 shooting. Western outrebounded the Bearcats 40-29 but had 17 turnovers to SBU’s eight.