Roadrunners grind out road victory

West Plains, Missouri-The State Fair Community College (SFCC) Roadrunners men's basketball team picked up an important 81-76 victory over Missouri State University-West Plains on Saturday, Jan.31. The game was part of the Region 16 schedule for both teams.

The game was back-and-forth contest. SFCC (12-13, 3-4 in Region 16) had a 19-14 lead with less than 12 minutes remaining until halftime. West Plains tied the game at 36 with less than three minutes remaining. West Plains took a 40-37 lead into halftime.

West Plains went on a 12-4 run to begin the half and pushed their advantage to 52-41 with less than 16 minutes remaining in the contest.

SFCC turned up their intensity and began to cut into the advantage. The Roadrunners trailed 57-50 with 11 minutes and 58 seconds remaining.

SFCC tied the game at 69 courtesy of a big three-point shot from sophomore guard Gavin Q Murphy of Calabasas, Calif. with less than six minutes left.

The Roadrunners had a 78-76 lead with 41 seconds remaining in the contest. Freshman wing JP Ndong of Germany/Senegal made one of two free throws with 19.6 seconds remaining to put SFCC up 79-76.

West Plains missed a shot on the ensuing offensive possession. Sophomore wing Jai'Kori Phillps of Pine Bluff, Ark. made a pair of free throws to put the game away for SFCC.

Phillps led the SFCC offensive attack with 20 points, on seven of nine from the field. Sophomore forward Malick Ndiaye of Dallas, Texas contributed 14 points. Ndong added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Freshman guard Nate Wilder of East Stroudsburg, Pa. dished out a team-high five assists and led the team in steals with six.

SFCC will return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 4 against Moberly Area Community College in another Region 16 contest. Tipoff from the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

David Rohrbach

SFCC Athletics