Men's Basketball Tops Culver-Stockton on the Road

Canton, Mo., (Jan. 10, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams traveled to Canton, Mo., Wednesday evening, for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Culver-Stockton (Mo.).  The women's team fell late to the Wildcats, 65-61, while the men's team earned a 62-57 victory.

The men's game featured the two teams going two minutes of play before the first points were scored.  Junior Cawhan Smith (Collinsville, Ill.) and Junior Jace Lance (Marshall, Mo.) each hit a three-pointer to put Missouri Valley in front, 6-2, with three minutes off the clock.  Culver-Stockton responded with an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to make it a 13-6 score.  Senior Keenan Jones (Chicago, Ill.) ended the MVC drought with one free throw, while Junior Geovonni Floyd (Bowling Green, Ky.) cut the deficit to 13-9 on a jump shot near the 13-minute mark.  The Wildcats eventually held a 21-15 lead past the midway point of the half.  Smith and Jones each put in a layup as Missouri Valley cut the gap to 21-20 near the seven-minute mark.  The Vikings eventually went back on top with a three-point basket from Jones, a field goal from Junior Jarrius Burnett (Warrenton, Ga.) and a layup from Lance to make it a 27-22 score with five minutes to play in the half.  Missouri Valley used late three-pointers from Junior J'Luan Patterson (Belleville, Ill.) and Jones to cap scoring and go into the break with a 33-30 lead.  

Scoring after the break started with a basket from Culver-Stockton, but the Vikings followed with a run.  Burnett and Junior Logan Walker (Lebam, Wash.) started the stretch with a layp each, while Walker added a three-pointer.  The 9-0 run was capped by another field goal from Burnett as the score sat at 42-32 with nearly six minutes played.  Patterson made it a 45-33 advantage on a three-pointer near the 13-minute mark.  Missouri Valley continued to add to its lead, helped by a three-pointer from Senior Vincent Taylor (Dallas, Texas) to make it 50-36 as the game went under 12 minutes remaining.  A three-point play from Walker kept MVC in front, 53-41 three minutes later.  The Wildcats gradually worked back into the game over the next several minutes, cutting the deficit to 56-51 near the three-minute mark.  Smith followed with a layup, but CSC eventually trailed, 58-55 with under two minutes left on the clock.  The score was 60-57 as the game reached one minute to play.  Smith forced a late steal, and added two made free throws to close out the game, and seal a 62-57 win.

Burnett led with 13 points to go with six rebounds.  Smith added 11 points and Walker came off the bench to finish with 10 points.  Missouri Valley limited Culver-Stockton to 32-percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers in the game.

Missouri Valley improves to 7-8 on the season and 6-5 in the Heart.  Culver-Stockton drops to 7-8 overall and 5-6 in the conference.

Up next, the Missouri Valley basketball teams will host Grand View (Iowa) in a Heart doubleheader, Saturday inside the Burns Athletic Complex.  Women's game at 12 p.m., followed by the men's game at 2 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here 

About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.