Grizzlies lose to region rival State Fair in OT thriller

A career scoring performance by sophomore guard Byron "Tre" Breland couldn't help the Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Basketball team pick up a crucial road win this past weekend.

The Grizzlies traveled to Sedalia Saturday to face Region 16 rival State Fair Community College, and despite the 40 points pumped in by Breland, the Grizzlies fell to the Roadrunners 97-94 in overtime.

The loss drops the Grizzlies' overall record to 9-15 overall and 3-5 in Region 16 play.

"Honestly, I was very happy with our effort," Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Jared Phay said. "You have to give State Fair credit. I thought they played very well."

The Grizzlies were down 37-30 at halftime but rallied in the second off the play of Breland and fellow sophomore Mehdi Pissis, who added 23 points to the Grizzlies' tally.

Trailing 78-76 in the final seconds, Breland canned a bucket to send the game into overtime tied at 78-78. The Grizzlies couldn't keep pace with the Roadrunners in the extra period, however, thanks in large part to a nearly perfect State Fair performance at the charity stripe. The Roadrunners canned 30 of 32 attempts at the free throw line for the night.

"Of course, we would have rather won, but it was a well-played game by both teams, and I am happy with how we battled back," Phay said.

In addition to his 40 points, Breland had five assists and five steals. Sophomore forward Nico Hill added 11 points and six rebounds to the stat sheet.

State Fair's Will Wilson continued to be a problem for the Grizzlies. He scored 22 points and had six rebounds.

The Grizzlies will face another region rival, Moberly Area Community College, today at 7 p.m. in Joe Paul Evans Arena at the West Plains Civic Center. The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 22, but was postponed until today due to COVID-19 protocols.

Saturday, the Grizzlies will host their annual homecoming game at the civic center. Their opponent will be Region 16 arch rival Three Rivers College. Tipoff is 7 p.m., with the crowning of the 2022 homecoming king and queen at halftime.

For more information about the Grizzly Basketball program, visit www.msuwpgrizzlies.com or call 417-255-7991.