Box score | Season stats

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The #24 SBU Bearcats rolled to a 82-59 home win over the Missouri Western Griffons. Matt Rogers led the Bearcats with 20 points, while three others were in double figures in the SBU victory.
 
Ryan Dougherty had 14 points, Kurt Koenig had 13 and Ivan Cropotov again tied his career high with 10 points, in his third start of the season. Tristan Steele and Cropotov led with eight rebounds while Rogers and Stephen Cotten each had seven boards. Tomas Brock led with six assists. The Bearcats shot 48% for the game and blistered the nets from outside, hitting 10 of 17 for 59%. SBU held Missouri Western to 30.6% shooting. The Griffons were just five of 25 from outside.
 
"Our defense was the story, holding them to 30% shooting," said SBU head coach Jeff Guiot. "We really focused on the scouting report. We rebounded well and we caught them on the right night. Some was us and some was them."
 
With his 20 points, Rogers moved into third place all-time on the SBU career scoring list with 1626 points, surpassing Tim Elliott's 1609 points. Elliott played for the Bearcats from 1970-74. Rogers also hit five free throws, which ties him for the top spot at SBU all-time in freebies made with 381. With his first make Saturday, Rogers will pass Donniel Harrell, who played for the 'Cats from 1972-76.
 
The win over the Griffons completed the first half of the MIAA schedule for SBU. Guiot says his team is looking to improve on their 7-3 mark the second time through. "We're focusing on the details now. To be successful, you have to pay attention to detail. We're continuing to get better. The second half we came out focused -- we're putting things together."
 
SBU jumped out to an early 22-11 edge, following a three by Koenig with 10:30 left in the first half. With SBU up by 11 with six minutes to go, the Cats would close the first half on a 13-3 to lead 44-23 at the break. The Bearcats wasted little time extending their lead in the second half, leading 61-30 with five minutes gone in the second half. The 'Cats largest lead was 36 points (71-35) with 8:13 left in the contest.
 
James Bush led Missouri Western (11-6, 6-4 MIAA) with 16 points and 13 rebounds. SBU outrebounded the Griffons 47-40.
 
SBU (16-4, 7-3 MIAA) opens the second half of the conference schedule Saturday night against the #7 Central Missouri Mules. Game time is 7:30 p.m. "Hopefully our students are back Saturday for the big game against Central," added Guiot. The MIAA's top two teams over the last half decade have had some great battles over that period, with both teams nationally-ranked and fighting for conference and national honors.