The men’s basketball team played a game against Missouri Southern on Saturday, Jan. 25 but lost to
MSSU (72-79).
Head coach Kim Anderson saw many things during the game that the team did well and other things
that needed some work.
“I thought we got off to a slow start,” Anderson said. “We got behind 15-4 I think, but then our guys
really did a good job of fighting back and I thought our big guys played well. Antonio Givens had a
great first half, Christian Edmondson played very well also, and then throughout the game AJ Walker
ended up with 27 points. So, we got back at halftime within five and then in the second half we actually
took the lead with about seven minutes to go and just couldn’t hang on to it. We did a really good job of
taking care of the basketball which has kind of been our problem. We’ve had a lot of turnovers and we
only had seven turnovers in this game, and we forced them into 16. But I think that that was one positive.
I think, on the negative side, we got out rebounded substantially and we didn’t shoot well from the free
throw line. Overall, we shot well, but from the free throw line we didn’t shoot well. We missed some
shots down toward the end that would’ve maybe given us a chance to get even closer. So, great team effort
against a nationally ranked team but just couldn’t get over the hump.”
During the game against Missouri, senior A.J. Walker had nine field goals, junior Antonio Givens II
had seven, senior Christian Edmondson had six, and senior Jah-Kobe Womack had four. Walker made
five three-point field goals and Womack had two. Walker made four free throws, Womack and junior
Dejon Waters Jr. each made three, and Givens added one. Walker and Givens II each had a total of six
rebounds and Womack and Edmondson each had three.
A few players stood out to Anderson during the game.
“A.J. Walker… (had) 27 points, Antonio Givens had 15, (and) Christian Edmondson had 12,” Anderson
said. “I think those three guys played extremely well. Jah-Kobe Womack had 13 points (and) played a
great game defensively. So, we just have to get… more consistent over a longer period of time. We tend to
play really well for a half or for 10 possessions or whatever, we need to try to put that all together so we
can try to play well for the whole game.”
The team also played a game against Roger State on Wednesday, Jan. 29 in Whetzel Court in John
Lance Arena. The Gorillas lost the game (72-80).
The next game is against Northeastern State on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 3:30 p.m. in Whetzel Court in John
Lance Arena.