ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The 22
nd-ranked Missouri Western men's basketball team stayed unbeaten at home this season as they defeated Emporia State 70-61 Thursday night inside the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Griffons improve to 7-1 and have now won 16 of their last 17 games at home.
MWSU overcame their second worst shooting performance of the season by forcing a season-high 27 turnovers and getting 21 steals against the Hornets. Western junior
Caleb Bennett tied a season-game school record with eight steals in the game and
Tyrell Carroll added five. The 27 turnovers forced were the most by a Griffon men's team since getting 30 against Quincy on December 4, 2007.
Missouri Western also faced their biggest deficit of the season on Thursday as they trailed Emporia 21-14 midway through the first half. MWSU quickly used a 15-2 run to take the lead back and eventually leadi34-31 at halftime. Western had 16 of their 21 steals in the first half and forced 20 turnovers in the first 20 minutes but shot only 1-for-15 from the three-point line in the opening half.
The Griffons never relinquished the lead after halftime and they used a 13-3 run midway through the second half to take a 12-point lead and Emporia State never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
Bennett scored a career-high 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting, while Carroll added 15 points, five assists and three rebounds.
Q Mays was also in double figures with 14 points and
Will Eames had 11 and eight rebounds. MWSU finished the game 42.0% (29-of-69) from the field and shot only 4-of-23 from the three-point line.
The No. 22 Griffons are back at home Saturday as they entertain 5
th-ranked Washburn at 7:30 p.m. inside the MWSU Fieldhouse. The Ichabods upset No. 1 Northwest Missouri State Thursday in Maryville 84-82 in overtime.
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