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William Jewell’s coach Holley picks up win No. 900

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The William Jewell men’s basketball team downed Rockhurst University for the second time in eight days with an 80-65 win on Thursday evening in the Mabee Center. The Cardinals move to 14-2 on the season and 4-2 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The victory also marks career win No. 900 for head coach Larry Holley.

Watch as his players give him the silent treatment…and then a shower.

Larry Holley enters his 39th season (2017-18) as the head men’s basketball coach at William Jewell, where the basketball court is named in his honor. He has received 14 Coach of the Year Awards including the prestigious Sears/NABC NAIA National Coach of the Year Award in 1996 (he was the first NAIA coach to receive this award from the NABC). He has also been selected to five Halls of Fames: the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the William Jewell College Athletic Hall of Fame, the NAIA Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

William Jewell is a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, and is located in Liberty, Mo.

Sophie returns and Mizzou defends their home court against 4th ranked USC

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Sophie Cunningham returned after missing one game with a knee sprain and scored 27 points as the No. 15-ranked Mizzou Women’s Basketball team defeated No. 4 South Carolina, 83-74, Sunday afternoon at Mizzou Arena. It’s the second straight year the Tigers (14-2, 2-1 SEC) have beaten the Gamecocks, and Mizzou is now responsible for two of the defending champion’s last three losses.

With the win against No. 4 South Carolina, Mizzou registered the fourth win in program history against an AP top-four opponent. The Tigers’ last such victory came in a 64-60 win against No. 4 Baylor on Jan. 4, 2006. With the win, Mizzou moves to 3-1 against South Carolina in Mizzou Arena, while moving the overall series record against the Gamecocks to 5-5.

In a matchup of two of the nation’s top players, the Tigers held South Carolina’s leading scorer, A’ja Wilson, to just eight points and six rebounds. She entered the contest averaging 27.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.  Cunningham posted 25+ points for the fifth time this season, and for the 13th time in her career.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was ejected in the fourth quarter after receiving her second technical. She was critical of the officiating.

#Mizzou loses prized point guard as Blake Harris announces he’s leaving

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Freshman point guard Blake Harris, who Michael Porter Jr helped sway to attend the University of Missouri, announced via Twitter he is leaving Mizzou.

Harris did not start the SEC Opener against South Carolina, but did start 9 of 14 games this season and averaged just under 14 minutes per game averaging 3.8 points per game and 44 assists over the season.

Cuonzo Martin said part of the reason that Harris did not start on Wednesday was based on him missing four practices over the break between Illinois and the USC game.

Earlier this season I asked about Martin finding more playing time for Harris and he eluded to the point that players had to earn their time through practice and performance.

My one criticism of Cuonzo early in the season is that he didn’t get as much playing time for Harris during non-conference games as he should have.  It’s clear watching Harris play that he has special skills, but needs to learn to play within his speed.  Yes, he made mistakes and turned the ball over, but I felt moving forward, even beyond this year, Harris was going to play a big part in this team’s success.

Not anymore.

#Mizzou opens SEC play with rare conference win on the road

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If the Missouri Tigers have more hot shooting nights like they did in South Carolina on Wednesday night, you can expect plenty more road wins this season.

The Tigers 79-68 victory snapped a 32-game SEC road slump.

Mizzou converted 14 of 24 three-point attempts, including 9 of 16 in the first half.

Kassius Robertson led the Tigers with 23 points and Jontay Porter, who hit five three pointers, scored a career high 19 points. Jordan Barnett Robertson each made four three’s.   Barnett also finished with 11.

Barnett and Porter sparked a 15-2 run with just under eight minutes to play in the first half with back to back three pointers turning a 21-19 lead into a 36-21 advantage.

Porter feasted off the high screen pick and pop play that has been open all season.  The guards finally got Jontay the ball for open looks.  It was something the Tigers have struggled with this year but were prepared for pressure that the USC defense was bringing.

Jeremiah Tilmon ran into early foul trouble and eventually fouled out in just 11 minutes. He finished with two points.

The Tigers are home Saturday to face Florida.

Slow first half for #Mizzou keeps #BragginRights in Illini hands

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Illinois’ Michael Finke has words with Missouri’s Jeremiah Tilmon following the game. Tilmon de-committed from the Illini to join the Tigers

The Missouri Tigers made just two, three-pointers in the first half and turned the ball over 16 times in the opening 20 minutes as Illinois used a nine and 10-point run to open a 20-point halftime lead in a 70-64 win in the 37th annual Braggin Rights game in St. Louis on Saturday night.

Illinois leads the overall series 25-12 in games played in St. Louis.

Illinois coach Brad Underwood admitted to me that he used game video and inside information from Missouri’s late win over Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday to game plan for the Tigers.  Underwood is in his first year at Illinois after a season at Oklahoma State.  Prior to that, he led the program at SFA.

Mizzou was exposed in that game and Underwood used strong perimeter defense to limit the Tigers in the first half.

The Tigers were just 8 of 24 shooting and 2-10 in the first half from beyond the arc.  Cuonzo Martin told me he felt his team settled for outside shots in the first half.

Mizzou cut the lead to six briefly in the second half but using a seven-man rotation and zero points off the bench, the Tigers ran out of gas late.

Kassius Robertson led the Tigers with 22 points after being held to two in the first half. Jordan Barnett added 19 points and 10 rebounds.  Barnett was the only spark for the Tigers in the first half, scoring 14 on 5-of-9 shooting.

“Showdown for Relief” will happen. #Mizzou basketball to face Kansas on 10/22. Tickets go on sale to the public on Wednesday

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Kansas Jayhawks basketball players celebrate on the court after defeating the Missouri Tigers 70-66, at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri on March 5, 2011. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

The University of Missouri and Kansas University basketball programs are coming together for a one-time charity exhibition game Sunday, Oct. 22, at 3 p.m. at Kansas City’s Sprint Center. The event – Showdown for Relief – is to raise awareness and financial support for hurricane relief efforts.

MU, KU and the Sprint Center, along with the Kansas City Sports Commission, have agreed that proceeds from the game will be donated to organizations assisting victims of the natural disasters that have occurred recently in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Money raised from the game will be contributed to the organizations that the five living former U.S. Presidents have come together to support: the Houston Harvey Relief Fund, the Rebuild Texas Fund, the Florida Disaster Fund, Juntos y Unidos Por Puerto Rico and the Fund for the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In order for this scrimmage to take place, both school needed a waiver from the NCAA to play the extra exhibition game.

“The opportunity to use the platform of college basketball to help so many people in need is the most important aspect of this event,” Mizzou head coach Cuonzo Martinsaid. “This scrimmage will not only be fun for fans of Mizzou and Kansas, but also for people all over the world.”

“It’s a great opportunity for two schools to do something together for the better of the masses,” Kansas coach Bill Self said, “and be able to send a significant amount of money to people that are suffering right now.”

Tiger Scholarship Fund members and MU students can purchase tickets starting Tuesday. Remaining tickets from Missouri’s allotment will available for purchase at SprintCenter.com starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Ticket prices are: $200 courtside, $120 for lower-level sides, $75 for lower-level ends, $40 for upper level and $20 for students (upper-level seats).

It’s official. Jontay Porter is a #Mizzou Tiger

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It was one of the worst kept secrets in Columbia, but Jontay Porter, the younger brother of prized recruit Michael Porter Jr., made it official on Wednesday evening when he announced he would join the Tigers basketball program for the 2017 season.

The 6’10” forward rounds out the freshman class with includes Blake Harris, CJ Roberts and Jeremiah Tilmon.

Mizzou will open up the season at home on Friday, November 10 against Iowa State.

#Mizzou in the Final Four? Porter Jr. says that’s the goal

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Michael Porter Jr., the top prospect in the country is not only thinking about making the NCAA Tournament, he’s thinking of doing something that has never happened in the history of Missouri Tigers basketball.

“I want to bring this team back to a Final Four, national championship-caliber level. I think we’re going to surprise people,” Porter told ESPN.

There is certainly reason to be excited about Cuonzo Martin’s first team.  In addition to Porter,  Blake Harris and Jeremiah Tilmon. a couple of top-100 prospects will play along with 4-star guard C.J. Roberts and former Canisius sniper Kassius Robertson. Plus, Jordan Barnett, Kevin Puryear and Terrance Phillips.

However, publicly stating that he wants to take Mizzou to the Final Four puts a target on the back of the Tigers, but that doesn’t concern Porter.

“I think it’s exciting that a lot of people have pretty high hopes. I don’t feel any pressure. I welcome it.”

Columbia College looking for new head women’s basketball coach

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Jessica Keller, (photo/Columbia College)

Columbia College head women’s basketball coach Jessica Keller resigned to accept a top assistant coach position at NCAA Division I Illinois State University.

Keller compiled an overall record of 75-24 in three seasons at Columbia, including a 55-17 mark in the American Midwest Conference. She coached the Cougars to a pair of NAIA National Tournament appearances over the past two seasons. Columbia started the 2015-16 season with a school-record 19-straight wins and achieved the highest ranking in school history at No. 3 in the NAIA Division I Coaches’ Poll, as the Cougars were ranked in 31 out of 34 polls during her tenure. She was part of the WBCA’s inaugural 30 under 30 class, recognizing up and coming talent in coaching.

 

Prior to coming to Columbia, Keller served as the assistant coach at Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minnesota for three seasons and as a graduate assistant coach at Quincy University, where she completed her Master’s in Business Administration. The Belle, Missouri native also played women’s basketball at Quincy from 2005-2009. She was a three-time All-Great Lakes Valley performer and was named the GLVC Player of the Year in her senior season.

Porter Jr. helps land Mizzou their point guard. Blake Harris is in. “I’m officially a Tiger”

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I say in the headline that Michael Porter Jr. helps land a point guard for the Tigers, because the number one recruit in the country has been publicly pushing for North Carolina native Blake Harris to join him at Missouri next season after the pair were committed to Washington.  On Sunday, the top 30 recruit made it official with is announcement via Twitter.

Let’s not kid ourselves, this one was all on Porter Jr. Without him, no way Cuonzo Martin lands Harris, who chose the Tigers over Michigan, UCONN, Rutgers and NC State. That hasn’t happened around here in a long time…where Mizzou outbids bigger schools.

The Tigers hope their not finished yet.  They hosted uncommitted five-star forward Kevin Knox this weekend and are expected to entertain four-star center Jeremiah Tilmon, who de-committed from Illinois last week.

Harris is the No. 29 point guard in the Class of 2017.  This wasn’t too much of a surprise, but still a good get for Porter Jr to talk Harris into joining him at Mizzou.  Harris was a one-time Washington signee who was granted his release after the university fired Lorenzo Romar earlier this month.