Basketball (Men's)
SBU takes outright MIAA Championship in Kirksville
By
Feb 25, 2006, 18:51

Deon Davis, Sheldon Pace, and Frans Steyn hoist up the MIAA Championship trophy.

KIRKSVILLE, MO. … Claiming their first MIAA Championship since the 1990-91 season, the Southwest Baptist University men’s basketball team took the sole right to the MIAA regular season championship with an 82-72 win over Truman State.  With the win, SBU has the #1 seed in the MIAA Tournament and won their 23^rd game of the year.

SBU is the 2006 MIAA regular season champions.

“When I first took this job several basketball coaches told me that you couldn’t win a championship at SBU,” says head coach Jeff Guiot.  “I couldn’t be happier for the players and the community.  They have all worked hard for this championship.  Nobody gets to the top by themselves.  We have had help from the players, administration, community, fans, and student body.”

MIAA MVP candidate and Bob Cousy award finalist Sheldon Pace led the way for the 2006 champions with 24 points and nine assists.  Steyn recorded 14 points with 12 coming in the second half and Jim Grabowski had 10 points.  Deon Davis grabbed seven rebounds for the Bearcats.  TSU’s Andy Calmes had 22. 

Pace took over the first half for the Bearcats as he scored 19 of the 34 points.  SBU jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first minute on a three-pointer by Deon Davis and Pace.  Pace’s three-pointer was the first of 15 straight points by the Bob Cousy Award finalist as he pushed SBU to a 20-14 lead with 8:31 to go in the half. 

In the first 12 minutes, TSU cut the lead to one, twice.  The first was 9-8 and Pace canned a three-pointer at the 14:45 mark.  Then, when TSU was down 12-11, Pace drove the lane for his ninth point of the game. 

Two free throws by TSU brought the Bulldogs within four, 20-16 (7:58), only to see SBU go on a 12-4 run in the next 5:52 for a 12-point lead, 32-20.  TSU ended the half on a 6-2 run to cut SBU’s lead to eight, 34-26, at the half. 

Hitting their first shot of the second half, TSU came within six, 34-28.  At that point, senior Frans Steyn scored the next 10 points for the Bearcats as SBU kept their lead at six.  TSU had cut it to two, 40-38, when Steyn hit his eighth point of the game at the 16:02 mark.  Just 35 seconds later he gave SBU the six-point lead.  His last four points sparked a 19-6 run in the next 7:42 as SBU took a 15-point lead, 59-44, with 8:54 left in the game. 

TSU responded with a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 10, 59-49, at the 7:20 mark.  Once again, SBU ran right back at the Bulldogs with another run.  This time the run lasted 4:17 as the Bearcats extended their lead to 19 points, 72-53, on the 13-4 run.  Deon Davis gave SBU the 19-point lead with a three-pointer with 3:16 to go. 

Sheldon Pace scored 19 of his 24 points in the first half and finished with nine assists.

The Bulldogs would not go away that easily chasing the MIAA Championship when they surprised SBU with a 9-1 run in just a minute to come within 11, 73-62, with just 2:15 left in the game. 

Putting everything on the line, SBU’s Pace stepped up and hit three of his next four free throws added with a dunk at the 1:07 mark to give him his 24^th point and a 14-point lead to put his bid in for the MIAA MVP. 

Still not giving up, TSU scored six points in the final minute to make the final, 82-72.

SBU had one of their best games of the year from the floor as they shot 54% from the floor, 50% from 3-point range, and 73% from the free throw line.  They held TSU to 38% from the floor and out rebounded the Bulldogs, 38-29. 

The Bearcats will now play #8 Pittsburg State in the first round of the MIAA Tournament on Friday, March 3, at 12 p.m.

Deon Davis had seven rebounds for SBU.

Frans Steyn scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to help SBU to the MIAA Championship.