PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Griffon Men's Basketball (14-11, 10-4) streak hit seven games as Missouri Western led its third straight game wire-to-wire, punishing Pittsburg State (9-14, 5-9) 95-79 on Wednesday night. The win clinched the Griffons a spot in the MIAA Basketball Championships to be played at Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium, March 4-8.
The Griffons made 14 of 25 3-point attempts (56%) on the night and shot 53.7% from the field, leading by as many as 27 points at John Lance Arena. Missouri Western dished out 24 assists on the night, the 5
th most for a Griffon team since at least the 2000-01 season.
Missouri Western led by nine at the half, but built that 27-point lead about midway through the second half. Some late turnovers allowed Pittsburg State to cut into the Griffon lead, but never really threaten.
NOTABLES
- The seven game MIAA win streak is the longest for the program since winning the final nine regular season games of the 2001-02 season.
- 10 MIAA wins are the most for the program since the 2010-11 season.
- The Griffons moved into a third place tie with Rogers State in the MIAA standings, but hold the tiebreaker over the Hillcats for the No. 3 seed should the tie not be broken.
- It will also be the first time since 2010-11 that the Griffons get to Kansas City in the MIAA's postseason tournament without an on-campus play-in game.
- The Griffons will make their first postseason appearance since the 2017-18 season.
- The team's 56% 3-point shooting was a season-high.
- For the third time in the last five games, five Griffons scored in double-figures.
- Tyus Millhollin tied an MWSU single season record with his 79th 3-point field goal of the season, going 5 of 9 from long range and scoring 17 points.
- Tyree Martin's five blocks in the game are tied for second most in a game by a Griffon since the record has been tracked. Martin was also 4 of 5 from the field for 10 points with a team-high eight rebounds.
- Reese Glover was 5 of 7 from 3-point range for a game-high 19 points.
- Tyrell Carroll added seven more assists and now has 104 on the season, 8th most at MWSU since at least 2000-01. His season average of six per game would be an MWSU single season record.
UP NEXT
The streak will be put to the test Saturday at No. 14 Missouri Southern (18-4, 11-2). The Lions first have to face No. 1 Northwest Missouri State on Thursday night in Joplin.