SPORTS

Lady Indians drop Fifth Straight Game
Trey Reed | Staff Reporter

Sometimes you have to learn to lose before you can learn how to win.
The softball team hopes that its early season lumps are a testament to maxim, as it continued to struggle against stout competition Sunday at the Sunrise Optimist Complex.
The Lady Indians dropped both ends of their doubleheader against No. 19-ranked Emporia by scores of 4-3 and 4-1.
They have now dropped five straight games to 3-6 on the season, including a 0-4 mark against ranked opponents.
Big innings proved pivotal against the Hornets as Emporia State produced a four-run third inning in the opener and a three-run second inning in the second game.
Junior hurler Brittany Willson (2-4) retired 12 of the last 13 hitters she faced and allowed just six hits and three walks, while striking out eight.
But the four-run third inning was fueled by a Sarah Pratt error that opened the door for four unearned runs to give the Lady Hornets a 4-0 advantage.
The Lady Indians scratched for a run in the sixth when Kortney Kemper’s sacrifice fly to right field plated Pratt.
An inning later, back-to-back doubles off the bats of Racheal Jackson and Amiee Duke brought the Lady Indians within one run with the tying run on second base, but Ashley Kuchenski’s fly out to left field ended the threat and the game.
Sarah Huddleston paced a 12-hit MSU attack by going 3-for-3 with a walk. Jackson, Courtney Veal and Pratt added two hits each.
Emporia State’s Courtney Reed spun a one-hit shutout in the second game to lead the Lady Hornets to a 4-0 win to cap the sweep.
The Lady Indians had opportunities, but they were unable to take advantage of bases loaded situations in the second and sixth innings.
Veal led off the second inning with a walk and moved to second when Jackson reached on an error. Duke followed with a walk to load the bases with no outs.
Reed induced right fielder Allison Tidwell to fly to center field. Veal was thrown out at the plate and Jackson was gunned down trying to move up to third on the throw to the plate to end the threat.
Stephanie Wardlaw connected for the Lady Indians’ only hit of the game with two outs in the sixth inning. Huddleson and Veal followed with to load to the bases before Jackson popped out to third.
Emporia State’s Meagan Davison connected for a two-run single to key the three-run third. She added another RBI-single in the fourth to put the Lady Hornets up 4-0.
Jenna Deweber allowed 11 hits and struck out six in the loss, falling to 1-2 on the season.
The Lady Indians will travel to Glendale, Ariz. Friday for the LSC/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Crossover.
They will face Colorado-Colorado Springs, Colorado State-Pueblo and Colorado School of Mines on Friday before closing out the tournament on Saturday with games against Mesa State and Regis.


Road Misfortunes continue for MSU
Iogy Cruz | Staff Reporter

The traveling woes continue to affect the Lady Indians on the court as Texas Women’s avenged last week’s thrashing to MSU by returning the favor 74-57 at Magee Arena on Saturday.
It was the second consecutive loss for MSU, who stands at 1-9 on the road this season, 4-6 in conference play, and 9-14 overall.
TWU’s Matalya McBath had a game-high 23 points, while Ashley Browning and Valery Redfearn each totaled 15 for the Pioneers. 
The win snapped a nine-game losing skid for TWU. 
Twenty-nine percent shooting in the first half foreshadowed the remainder of the game for the Lady Indians as the Pioneers took a 40-20 lead at half time. 
Katherine Maples and Kelly Cleavinger would eventually spark a 13-0 run with 7:08 left in the game by nailing consecutive three-pointers.
But the Lady Indians would only get the deficit down to 14 as TWU cruised the rest of the way for the win.
Maples led the team in scoring with 11 points and seven boards. Adrian Fincher had 10 points and eight rebounds, while LaTia Banks and Cleavinger chipped in 10 and eight points respectively.
Misfortunes on the road also hit MSU on Thursday, losing 73-70 at the buzzer to Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Nahogony Brown’s three-point buzzer beater at the end of regulation put a halt to MSU’s three-game winning streak as they had dropped to 9-13 on the season and 4-5 in LSC play.
Brown’s winning basket upped her final stats to 20 points and seven assists for the Lady Javs, while Dely’la Hoodye and Kaipresha Price had 15 and 13 points respectively for TAMUK.
It was the Lady Javs first conference win as they moved to 1-8 and 5-17 on the season.
Maples led MSU with 21 points, making nine-of-ten baskets from the free throw line. 
The Lady Indians were down 16 points during the first half before an MSU rally reduced the deficit to a 37-30 Kingsville lead at the half.
Angie Faurot and Stacey Staten guided a strong MSU comeback in the second half, in which they would lead by as many as eight points. 
With just over a minute left in the game, Maples put the Lady Indians in front 70-67, but Brown immediately answered with a huge three-pointer to tie the game at 70. A failed shot attempt from MSU set up Brown’s winning basket.
Faurot and Staten finished with 18 and 12 points respectively for the Lady Indians.
MSU will finish out their final two home games this week when they face West Texas A&M on Thursday and Eastern New Mexico on Saturday. Tip-off is set at 6 p.m. for both games. 


Rowe a Hit with Reporter, Fans
Trey Reed | Staff Reporter

I have a confession to make.
And I have to start with a profuse apology to MSU Point Guard Eddie Rowe.
I was one of the fans – yes, there were others – who just didn’t see your strengths early in the year.
I questioned how the team would get along without four-year starter and all-everything Point Guard Marquette Wilkins.
I wondered why Indians’ coach Jeff Ray started you over Chad Rickett.
Eddie, I was wrong and the answers are clear to me now. Crystal.
But I want to make it clearer.
I was on the bandwagon before you hit the biggest shot of the year with a buzzer-beater to beat A&M-Kingsville last Thursday, all while you struggled to play 18 minutes weakened by sickness.
I took my seat three days before in Commerce when I witnessed just what you mean to this team.
I know now that you are the fuel that can make or break a promising season. A season that has seen the Indians arrive at the brink of prominence.
Last week in Commerce, you remained on the bench after halftime, drenched in sweat, your head buried under a hood and towel.
On the floor, the Lions’ two-time LSC Player of the Week Jermart Miller took advantage by connecting on five 3-pointers on the way to leading Commerce to an 87-61 with a game-high 25 points.
Earlier in the season, you were the kryptonite that helped the Indians hold the fifth-ranked Lions to a season-worst 29-percent shooting.
Miller managed to take just seven shots and only 10 points. He thought it was just a bad night. I know it was something else.
It was defense.
It was Eddie Rowe.
I have to also admit, I have proof that I wasn’t totally wrong, but it wasn’t all my fault.
Early in the year, you and Rickett split the point guard position, meaning that it was one or the other. That has changed and started with the conference opener against A&M-Commerce.
Now, I feel like Deion Sanders. I can have both. With you and Rickett in the starting lineup, the Indians have flourished; piling seven wins against three loses.
The stakes have risen with the LSC South title on the line with just four games left in the conference season, but I know that you will come through.
I have reliable sources who have confided in me just the person you are.
“Eddie’s a high-intensity guy,” Ray said. “He brings that to practice every day, even after long nights. He’s a leader. We feed off that.”
I hope you can accept my apology, Eddie. I was wrong.
You have the chance to do something that even Wilkins couldn’t do in his four years – win an LSC championship.
Bring home the trophy and you will be an MSU hE-Rowe,  at least in my book.


Last Second Indians' Heroics Steal win from Kingsville
Jennifer Tavlian | Sports Editor

The Indians have many guys the team can look to in a pinch who have come up big over the season.
Thursday night was Eddie Rowe’s turn.
The point guard hit his one and only field goal when it mattered most, sinking a buzzer-beating layup to seal a 69-67 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville.
MSU now stands with a tie for first place in the Lone Star Conference South division after Texas A&M-Commerce lost to Kingsville on Saturday night. The Indians (14-9) and Commerce Lions (19-4) each have 6-2 records in conference play.
“This win was big,” Indians’ guard Jay January said. “This puts us in position to host a conference game.”
In order for the men to host a playoff game, they must win-out the last four games of the season and Kingsville has to finish in third place.
Kingsville and West Texas A&M are both a game behind MSU and Commerce.
Justin James and January came up big in the last two minutes, sparking a 10-0 Indians’ run over the final 2:14.
January dropped through a three-pointer at the 2:14 mark to start the comeback and bring MSU within eight points. James picked up a steal and popped a shot from beyond the arc with 1:39 to go to make it 67-65.
Leonard Pralour pulled down rebound No. 6 off a Rowe miss and put it back to tie the game.
January finished the game with 15 points while James had 11 points and three steals.
Chad Rickett, who also had three steals, led the team with five assists.
MSU held Kingsville to just 15.4 percent shooting from behind the three-point arc while shooting just over 36 percent from behind the arc themselves.
The Indians will try to extend their win streak Thursday when they host West Texas A&M. MSU fell to the Buffaloes 81-52 in January and will try to avenge the loss.
“We’ve been working hard,” January said. “Thursday’s game is big. We went down there earlier and played horrible. They out-hustled us.”
MSU will host Eastern New Mexico on Saturday and try to pick up another win over the Greyhounds. The Indians defeated ENMU in January 92-86 in overtime.
“Coach is making us work harder because he’s sees how close we are,” January said. “Every mistake is crucial and we fix every mistake in practice.
“Our fate is in our own hands.”