The Missouri State University West Plains Grizzlies played the Three Rivers Rocky Raiders on the evening of February 21, 2024.
The game for the Grizzlies is a special one, the last ballgame at home for the Grizzlies and hopefully the game to break their loosing streak of 11. The last time the Grizzlies played Three Rivers was on January 13, 2024. We lost to them 73 to 72 in overtime. We start off the first half with a fumble at the tip off which causes us to start the tip off again. The first turnover of the game comes only 2 minutes into the game. Raiders stay ahead of the Grizzlies at the start of the first half. During the first half of the half the Raiders stay consistently at least double the score of the Grizzlies. The Missouri State University West Plains Grizzlies have a slow start to the game keeping a low score of 5 as Three Rivers slowly pull away from them, their score going up and counting. The Grizzlies not giving up the game so easy or so early bring out so good moves and close some of the distance between their score and the Raiders to 14 to 10. Only to pull closer to Three Rivers making it only a 3 point game. Grant Foster rushes across the court making the score to bring it to a 1 point game of 15 to 14. The Grizzlies come back strong from their slow start and close any good lead that the Raiders had. To bad the Raiders weren’t up for that, they take a small lead back from the Grizzlies, trying to stay ahead during the game. There is not much scoring during the first half as the two teams fight over who has the ball. Kyle Germany saves the Grizzlies score, making a three pointer, and bringing the game to a 3 point game of 20 to 17. The Grizzlies and the Raiders slowly work their way higher on the score board, the Grizzlies always staying slightly behind. After a great move from the Grizzlies they bring the game back to a three point game of 29 to 31. The Raiders make a last ditch effort in the first half to lengthen their lead and end the first half a 34 to 29.
The second half of the game is started with the Raiders scoring a 3 pointer, closely followed up by another 2 bringing the game to 39 to 29. Carlos Paul breaks their lag of the second quarter bringing the score back to an 8 point game. The second half of the game starts off at a fast pace compared to the start of the game. Each team scores a good amount of points within the first 3 minutes of the game bringing the game to 41 to 35 form the end of the first half when we were at 34 to 29. The Grizzlies are crashing the boards continuously scoring one point after another. Three Rivers tries to pull ahead of the Grizzlies again, but the Grizzlies aren’t letting them get to far ahead this half of the game. The Grizzlies stay, for the most part, within a 4 to 3 point game. The Missouri State University West Plains Grizzlies and the Three River Raiders stay at even stats with turnovers throughout the game. You can definitely see the effort of the Grizzlies in the second half of the game, keeping up with the Raiders through the entire last half. The Grizzlies score a 3 pointer and, for the first time tonight, get the lead over the Three River Raiders. Which they lose a minute later to the Raiders taking the winning score again at 54 to 53. Three Rivers pull ahead again taking the lead back up to a 6 point game. The game goes into a back and forth lead after the Grizzlies once again closing the Raiders lead making it a 1 point game again, with the Grizzles in the lead at 60 to 59. The Grizzlies determined to keep the lead for the rest of the game stay on top of their game winning their first game in 11 games at 68 to 65. The Grizzlies finally break the losing streak and their coach sees his 400th career win in basketball.
The Missouri State University West Plains Grizzlies will play the Moberly Greyhounds on February 28, 2024. You can listen live on 102.5 KDY.
