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Missouri State extends Harper’s contract through 2022

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The Missouri State University Board of Governors approved an extension to the contract of head women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper and approved salaries for men’s basketball assistant coaches Thursday afternoon at its May meeting.

Harper’s new contract extends her current employment term to April 14, 2022, while all other terms of the agreement remain the same.

“I am very pleased to receive a contract extension and appreciate the support our administration and the Board showed by making it happen,” added Harper. “Missouri State is full of wonderful people, and is a great place to work and continue our vision for the Lady Bears basketball program.”

Harper guided the Lady Bears to a 21-12 record and WNIT second round trip in 2017-18, good for the program’s fourth consecutive postseason appearance. MSU’s 15-3 Missouri Valley Conference record was the school’s best league mark since the 2004-05 season. Harper is 93-69 overall in five seasons at Missouri State, including a 62-28 record in MVC games. Her .689 Valley winning percentage ranks sixth in league history.

The Board also approved the salary pool for MSU’s men’s basketball coaches and support personnel at Thursday’s meeting. Contracts for newly-hired assistant coaches Jake Headrick and Jase Herl were approved by the Board, along with director of basketball operations Sheldon Everett. Associate head coach Corey Gipson was formally retained by the Board.

“Coach Ford has assembled an excellent staff,” said Moats. “They are enthusiastic and extremely excited to represent Missouri State. I think our fans have already seen the fruits of their labor with the recruiting that has been done thus far, and I look forward to working with them to ensure their success.”

Free agents sign on with NFL teams following draft.

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The shopping began immediately after the NFL
Draft ended Saturday evening as teams came to terms with the many
undrafted free agents who will try to fight their way on to a
roster.

Going undrafted can be an advantage for a player who has multiple
free agent offers and can pick a team that offers a favorable
situation for him.

Following are many of the FCS players who according to
announcements and reports have signed, agreed to terms or accepted
a tryout with NFL teams. The list will continue to grow as teams
head toward rookie minicamps in May.

(Players from Missouri schools are highlighted)

Kansas City Chiefs: Davond Dade, OLB, Portland State; Mario
Jenkins, ILB, Idaho State; Elijah Marks, WR, Northern Arizona;
Jacquet McClendon, TE, Indiana State; Jimmy Murray, OL, Holy Cross;
Ebenezer “Ebo” Ogundeko, DE, Tennessee Titans; Jaypee Philbert, OL,
Alabama State; Devondre Seymour, OT, Southern Illinois; D’Montre
Wade, CB, Murray State

Arizona Cardinals: Dylan Cline, OL, Jacksonville State; Chad
Kanoff, QB, Princeton; Mike Needham, OLB, Southern Utah; Owen
Obasuyi, DT, Hampton; Austin Olsen, OT, Southern Illinois; Matt
Oplinger, OLB, Yale; Andy Smigiera, S, Robert Morris; Andrew
Vollert, TE, Weber State; Malcolm Washington, CB, Northern Iowa

Atlanta Falcons: Dontez Byrd, WR, Tennessee Tech; Tere’ Calloway,
SS, Alabama A&M; Richard “Dewey” Jarvis, OLB, Brown; David Marvin,
PK, Wofford (Georgia grad student); Damoun Patterson, WR,
Youngstown State

Baltimore Ravens: Jaelon Acklin, WR, Western Illinois; Chris Board,
LB, North Dakota State; Jordan Brown, CB, James Madison; Randin
Crecelius, OL, Portland State; Justin Evans, OT South Carolina
State; Alex Thompson, C, Monmouth; De’Lance Turner, RB, Alcorn State

Buffalo Bills: Chris Hardeman, CB, Houston Baptist; Dale Warren,
LB/SS, Chattanooga; Lucas Webb, FS, Chattanooga

Chicago Bears: Abdullah Anderson, DT, Bucknell; Terrell Bonds, CB,
Tennessee State (also Oakland Raiders tryout); James Fisher, LS,
North Dakota State; Khris Gardin, WR/RS, North Carolina A&T; Tafon
Mainsah, CB, Richmond; Bryan Schor, QB, James Madison

Cleveland Browns: Elijah Campbell, FS, Northern Iowa; Christian
Gibbs, WR, Illinois State; Darvin Kidsy, WR, Texas Southern;
Montrel Meander, S, Grambling State

Dallas Cowboys: Malik Earl, WR, Missouri State; Donovan Olumba, CB,
Portland State; Ed Shockley, LB Villanova

[Read more…]

Jackie Stiles drops to third in all-time NCAA scoring

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Monday night, there was an NCAA second-round game between Central Michigan and Ohio State that most in Missouri really wouldn’t care about the outcome. The Buckeyes lost, but their star player Kelsey Mitchell scored 28 points, and ended her career as the second-leading scorer in NCAA history, passing former Missouri State star Jackie Stiles who dropped to third. It was just in February of 2017, Stiles was passed by Washington’s Kelsey Plum for the top spot. Stiles scored 3,393 points in her time with the Bears.

Earlier this year, Stiles underwent surgery for ocular melanoma, a rare cancer.  She had surgery on Feb. 2 and was back on the sideline Feb. 11 as an assistant coach for Kellie Harper. She finished out the season and her long-term prognosis is good.

Kelsey Plum Washington 3,527
Kelsey Mitchell Ohio State 3,402
Jackie Stiles Southwest Missouri State 3,393

TCU too much for Missouri State in WNIT

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Missouri State’s fourth consecutive trip to the postseason came to an end Saturday afternoon with a 86-51 loss at TCU in the second round of the WNIT.

The Horned Frogs (21-12) went 14-for-23 from beyond the arc in the game for the best showing by an MSU opponent this season, while the Lady Bears’ basket seemed to have a lid on it for the final 25 minutes. Missouri State shot 25 percent for the game compared to 54 percent for TCU and trailed 43-35 on the glass.

 

Alexa Willard led the scoring with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.

Missouri State reached 20 wins for the 19th time in program history, and finished with a winning record for the 33rd time in 49 seasons … MSU’s 15 Missouri Valley Conference wins were the school’s most since the 2004-05 season

Missouri State women accept WNIT bid. Fourth straight post-season appearance

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The Lady Bears are making their eighth WNIT appearance. (photo/Missouri State Athletics)

The Missouri State Lady Bears will play postseason basketball for a fourth consecutive season, opening play in the 2018 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) Thursday at Louisiana Tech. The WNIT will announce the game time on Tuesday. The winner of Thursday’s game will play either TCU or Lamar, with a site and date to be determined.

The Lady Bears (20-11, 15-3) finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference, qualifying automatically for the WNIT as the highest-finisher in the MVC regular-season standings not selected to the NCAA Tournament. This marks MSU’s 22nd trip to a postseason tournament in 36 Division I seasons.

WNIT Bracket

Missouri State men take down Valpo in MVC opener

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Missouri State’s Alize Johnson drives past Valparaiso’s Derrik Smits for two points in the first half of the Missouri Valley Tournament at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on March 1, 2018. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Missouri State got 22 points from Alize Johnson and 20 from Jarrid Rhodes to turn back Valparaiso, 83-79, here Thursday in the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Johnson also snagged 19 rebounds in the win to break his own MSU Arch Madness record and help Missouri State (18-14) to a 45-29 advantage on the glass.

League newcomer Valparaiso (15-17) got a game-high 25 points from Tevonn Walker to lead three Crusaders in double figures.

Missouri State, which never trailed, held off a late rally by Valpo to advance to the Friday’s quarterfinal against No. 2 seed Southern Illinois.

Coach Paul Lusk’s squad notched 18 offensive rebounds on the night – eight by Johnson — leading to 18 second-chance points.

Missouri State will now look to avenge a pair of regular-season losses to No. 2 seed Southern Illinois (19-12) Friday at 6 p.m. in the third quarterfinal game at Scottrade Center.

Story: Missouri State Athletics

Junior has career game but MSU comes up short on Senior Night

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SPRINGFIELD – On a night dedicated to Missouri State’s five seniors, it was junior Jarred Dixon who stole the spotlight. The lanky guard scored a career-high 24 points and dropped in six 3-pointers against a visiting Bradley club that rallied from behind in the final two-and-a-half minutes to defeat the Bears, 82-78, here Wednesday.

MSU (17-13, 7-10 MVC), which dropped its third straight narrow decision, also got 20 points from senior Jarrid Rhodes, just one shy of his career high. Freshman Mustafa Lawrence added 11 points for the home side.

All five starters scored in double figures for Bradley (19-11, 9-8 MVC), including Nate Kennell who scored 20 points behind six treys of his own. The Braves also capitalized on an abundance of foul shots, converting 25-of-31 (.806) at the stripe.

The see-saw battle featured 19 lead changes and 11 ties, but Bradley’s 6-0 run – all from the free throw line – in the final 51 seconds sealed MSU’s fate.  After Rhodes knocked down two free throws for the Bears with 1:17 remaining to put the home club up by one, Dixon was whistled for a foul on Kennell with 50.7 ticks showing. Kennell made the two free throws to put the Braves up 76-75.

Missouri State now heads to Cedar Falls on Saturday afternoon for a 1 p.m. tilt with Northern Iowa (14-15, 6-11 MVC) in the regular-season finale for both clubs.

Story–MSU Athletics

Bears back in first place in the MVC

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Missouri State’s 18-3 run in the second-half turned an early deficit into a 64-57 win over Missouri Valley first-year foe Valparaiso on Wednesday at JQH Arena.

The victory moves the preseason favorite Bears into a first place tie.

MSU (15-5, 5-2 MVC) was led by senior Alize Johnson who posted his eighth straight double-double with 24 points and 17 rebounds to lead all players. Jarred Dixon added 12 points in the winning cause.

Missouri State pitcher tosses complete game no-hitter as Bears snap 10-game losing streak

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What a way to bust a slump!  The Missouri State softball team snapped a 10-game losing streak, beating 6th seeded Drake, 2-1, at the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, Thursday afternoon at Marian Kneer Stadium.  The Bulldogs jumped on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead over the Bears in the bottom of the second after a Missouri State throwing error allowed Drake’s Tasha Alexander to reach home safely.  After that, the day belonged to Bears pitcher Holly Kelley.

She retired 14 hitters in a row after Drake scored and Missouri State went ahead on a two-run double by Mary Stephens.

Kelley threw the first complete-game no-hitter of the MVC Tournament in 27 years, and became the third pitcher in MVC Tournament history to throw a no-no in a complete game.

The Bears continue action in the MVC Tournament Friday at 1:30 p.m. against No. 3 seeded Southern Illinois.

Missouri State mourns death of golfer

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Missouri State University released a statement on Sunday following the death of freshman golfer Sam Holmes over the weekend.  Holmes, 19, was from Springfield and attended Glendale High School.  Holmes committed suicide on Friday, March 17.

Men’s Golf Coach Neal Stafford:
“Sam was a remarkable young man whose generosity and selflessness affected so many people. Our golf family is hurting deeply, and we will miss Sam and the joy he brought us. Our thoughts and prayers are with his parents, Tim and Mary Jane, and his sister, Mary, knowing how difficult this is for them and all of us who knew Sam.”

Director of Athletics Kyle Moats:
“On behalf of Missouri State University and the athletic department, we want to express our condolences to the Holmes family. Our golf team lost a brother, and we are heartbroken for them. Sam had a positive impact on the Bears family and touched so many lives.”

Visitation will be held at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, on Tuesday, March 21, from 5-7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at The Venues, 2616 E. Battlefield, on Wednesday, March 22 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Missouri State University Foundation (Meyer Alumni Center, 300 South Jefferson, Suite 100, Springfield, MO 65806), in care of the men’s golf program.

Missouri State’s only home meet of the season, the Twin Oaks Intercollegiate, will be played in honor of Sam, at Twin Oaks Golf and Country Club, Monday and Tuesday.