CLAREMORE, OK. – It took overtime to decide it, but the Missouri Western men's basketball team defeated Rogers State 68-55 in the 2020-21 season opener on Thursday, giving first-year head coach Will Martin his first career victory in the process.
After a back-and-forth 40 minutes, the Griffons outscored the HIllcats 17-4 in overtime to secure the victory. Tyrell Carroll led MWSU with 17 points, four assists and three steals. Reece Glover and Q Mays added 12 and 11 points respectively.
The Griffons took early command of the game, with Carroll scoring 10 of MWSU's first 12 points, but shooting struggles from both teams in the first half saw the Griffons and Hillcats go to halftime tied at 25. MWSU went 0-10 from three point land in the opening half and just 5-25 from long range for the game.
The Griffon defense held the Hillcats to just 29% shooting for the game. The second half saw the two teams trade blows, with neither team leading by more than five points. Rogers State tied the game at 51 on a free throw with 7 seconds remaining. MWSU had the final shot, but Will Eames three point attempt came up short, sending the game to overtime.
The extra period was all Missouri Western, as the Griffons opened OT on a 6-0 run and never looked back, outlasting the Hillcats and securing win #1 for their 31-year-old first-year head coach. Martin, who has been with MWSU as an assistant since 2018, was elevated to the head position in late March after the departure of Sundance Wicks.
NOTABLES
• The MIAA was the first conference in NCAA Division I or II to return to basketball play in the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Tyrell Carroll had the game high in points (17), assists (4), and steals (3).
• Q Mays had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
• MWSU had 10 steals and forced 23 RSU turnovers.
The lead changed six times in the game, with neither team leading by more than five points in regulation.
UP NEXT
• The Griffons come home to the MWSU Fieldhouse on December, 3rd to face Lincoln University.
