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Tigers men drop third straight
1/10/2012
By RANDY GONZALES
rgonzales@dailynews.net
Some teams just don't match up well with other teams.
Such was the case Monday night. A tall and quick Missouri Southern State University men's basketball team never trailed in claiming an 82-71 MIAA win over Fort Hays State University at Gross Memorial Coliseum.
Both teams were ranked; No. 14 Missouri Southern looked the part, while the eighth-ranked Tigers -- who dropped their third straight -- didn't.
"I think it was a tough matchup," Fort Hays coach Mark Johnson said. "You look around the league, they're the biggest at every position."
Missouri Southern (13-3 overall, 6-3 MIAA) started 6-foot-11, 265-pound senior Keane Thomann at center, high-flying 6-5 senior Jason Adams at one forward and guards who were 6-4 and 6-3. The Lions shot 54 percent from the floor.
Fort Hays (10-4, 4-4) started one forward, 6-7 senior Matt Simmons, and four guards. The Tigers finished 42 percent from the field. They made 4-of-22 (18 percent) from beyond the arc.
"You look at us, we're going to have a hard time penetrating and driving in there and finishing," Johnson said. "We maybe took too many 3s, but I also felt like we got some good looks.
"You go 4 of 22 -- some guys have got to step up, and make some shots," he added. "We don't get a lot of easy baskets."
Missouri Southern had no such problem. Whenever the Lions needed a bucket they turned to Thomann inside, who scored 22 points mainly on jump hooks and follow shots, or they went to Adams, who had three dunks and two 3-pointers for a game-high 24 points.
"When you got Keane Thomann, every time you drop the ball down in the block, you can figure on two points," said Missouri Southern assistant coach Ronnie Ressel, who was filling in for head coach Robert Corn. "Of course, Jason with his athletic ability -- able to get to the basket, shoot from the perimeter -- gives us another kid.
"They're going to have to do it night in, night out for us to be successful," he added.
Missouri Southern scored the game's first six points and jumped out to a 12-4 lead less than seven minutes into the game. The Lions led by as many as 17 points in the first half before taking a 40-32 halftime lead.
"We were able to come out with good energy tonight, and get some easy baskets on the offensive end because of our defense," Ressel said. "You don't come out and play, you're going to get beat in this league."
The Lions scored the first six points of the second half to lead by 14 points. The lead grew to 21 points before the Tigers drew closer with the game decided for the final margin.
Markus Yarbrough, a 6-8 junior forward, came off the bench to battle Thomann in the paint. He led Fort Hays with 13 points.
"He might be a guy who needs to emerge and get more minutes, because he did give us some easy baskets at times," Johnson said. "When you're not getting easy baskets and relying on jump shots, it's tough to score.
"It was a good matchup," Johnson added. "(Yarbrough) and Thomann are similar athletes. Give (Yarbrough) credit; he played fairly well."
Johnson said the Tigers had too many breakdowns on both offense and defense. Fort Hays' three-game losing streak is the longest since the 2007-08 season, when the Tigers dropped four straight.
"I know we're better than what we're showing," Johnson said. "I think maybe our confidence is dipping right now."
Fort Hays is off until Saturday, when the Tigers will be at Pittsburg State University (9-5, 5-3).
"We got a tremendous challenge at Pitt," Johnson said. "If you look on talent level, I think Southern is the best team in our league, but I think Pitt might be right there behind them in second."
On Monday, Missouri Southern looked like the best team in the MIAA, Johnson said.
"The team we played tonight is unquestioned the best in the conference," Johnson said.
Notes
Ressel was coaching the Lions because Corn was attending Gene Bartow's funeral. Corn coached for 10 years under Bartow at University of Alabama-Birmingham. ... This is not the first time Ressel has filled in for Corn in Hays. Two years ago, Corn came down with food poisoning at the pregame meal and stayed at the hotel. Thomann also missed that game two years ago for the same reason. ... Of Adams' three dunks, two were on lob passes, one in transition, one in the offense, and the other was a baseline drive one-handed jam. ... Simmons had a dunk for Fort Hays. ... Playing opposite the BCS championship game, attendance was 2,395.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| 2/18 | SW Baptist | L 66-53 | |
| 12/1 | Oklahoma - Panhandle | L 66-60 (OT) | |