Basketball (Women's)
SBU women battle for MIAA berth with Missouri Western
By
Feb 28, 2009, 00:41

MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY GRIFFONS (6-20, 5-14) at SBU BEARCATS (7-19, 4-15)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2009 • 5:30 PM
BOLIVAR, MO • MEYER SPORTS CENTER
RADIO:  KBFL 99.9 FM  (Josh Thompson, play-by-play)
INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com
INTERNET VIDEO: www.themiaa.tv  (free through Penn Atlantic)
LIVE STATS: www.sbuniv.edu/athletics/livestats/xlive.htm
    
SBU NOTES | MWSU NOTES

The SBU Bearcats host the Missouri Western Griffons, in the final home game of the season. Despite their current struggles, the Bearcat women remain mathematically eligible for the MIAA Tournament. Pending a Missouri Southern victory over Northwest Missouri State, SBU would advance to the postseason tournament with a win over MWSU. If SBU finishes tied with Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri for eighth at 5-15, SBU would own the tiebreaker against either team, due to their win against Emporia State. The first MIAA tiebreaker is head-to-head, followed by comparative records against league opponents, starting with the highest seed. SBU will also recognize three seniors (Erica Smith, Cortney Shewmaker and Courtney Creed) prior to the game.

Courtney Creed leads the Bearcats with 16.1 points per game and is fourth in the MIAA. Creed is sixth in field goal percentage (43.9%). Cortney Shewmaker (4th - 3.85) and Rachel Graves (9th - 3.38) rank in the MIAA top ten in assists. Graves also ranks sixth in treys made (2.08), with Creed in ninth (1.81). The trio also ranks among the top six (Shewmaker-4th, 1.52; Graves-5th, 1.44; Creed-6th, 1.33) in assist-to-turnover ratio. Courtney Heady leads the MIAA in three point percentage (46.1%) while Creed is fifth and Graves is ninth. SBU leads the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.00), three-point percentage (37.4%), and three-pointers made (9.15 per game).
    
THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Missouri Western leads the all-time series 31-9, including their 84-66 win over SBU in St. Joseph on January 21. In 2007-08, SBU pulled off the season sweep, winning in Bolivar, 77-60, before beating the Griffons on the road just a week later, 82-72. J.C. Carter is in his first season as SBU head coach. Lynn Plett is in his second year guiding MWSU.  
 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
Freshman forward Jessica Koch leads the Griffons with 12.3 points per game. She’s also fifth in the MIAA in assists, with 3.73 per game. Both Koch and Tierra Ford are in the top five in steals per game. Ford is averaging 2.92 SPG (2nd), and Koch has 2.23 SPG (4th).



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