Sports

Melinda Wrye-Washington says she isn’t a miracle worker. After last weekend, that’s a little harder to believe.

Wrye-Washington, Columbia College’s fourth-year volleyball coach, took a battered Cougars team and orchestrated an improbable march through the NAIA National Tournament in San Diego that nearly ended with the program earning its fourth national title since 1998. The Cougars finished 44-7 and advanced to the finals before losing to Fresno Pacific (Calif.) 3-1.

It was the worst kept secret in Columbia.

Glen Krupica, executive director of the Independence Bowl, made official what many Missouri fans knew to be true for the past few weeks.

Missouri against Arkansas is like Romeo and Juliet according to Missouri coach Gary Pinkel.

“It’s like a perfect match,” Pinkel said.

As soon as everything seemed to be falling into place, it all changed.

Kansas State’s 35-7 upset against then-No. 1 Oklahoma in the Big 12 Conference title game Saturday muddied the bowl picture, but the bowl bids are set at last and the Big 12 is well represented.

The slashing, explosive Rickey Paulding that Missouri fans have grown accustomed to has been conspicuously absent in the past two games.

After scoring 21 points in the season opener Nov. 29 against Oakland, Paulding’s output has dropped to seven and eight points in the past two games. His scoring has dropped to 12 points per game from last season’s 17.4, and he committed as many turnovers (seven) as he scored points against Coppin State on Tuesday.

The question was not if Missouri would win, but which Missouri would win.

Alisha Robinson led the Gold to a 191.4-191.175 win in the Black and Gold intrasquad scrimmage Sunday at Hearnes Center.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -– Scoreboards are menacing. For most of Missouri’s matchup against Indiana on Saturday, Assembly Hall’s old school scoreboard loomed over the Missouri basketball team with a taunting tally.

Despite trailing Indiana for all but three minutes, the No. 4 Tigers rallied for a 63-58 win. Missouri dodged an upset and earned its fourth straight 3-0 start.

It’s about time for the Missouri football team to start making its holiday travel plans.

The Tigers will find out this afternoon where they are headed for their first bowl game since 1998. Missouri’s bowl destination will be announced today at a reception in the Tiger Lounge on the third floor of the Memorial Stadium press tower. The event is free and open to the public.

By MAUREEN FULTON

sports@columbiamissourian.com

A quick, aggressive team that thrives on points off turnovers can dominate if it faces a team without fresh legs.

The Maryville University Saints used their quickness on offense and defense to pull away from a tired Stephens Stars team, winning 105-50 on Saturday at Silverthorne Arena.

If Aaron Edwards keeps this up, he might have a new best friend in Columbia College coach Bob Burchard.

Edwards hit his second winning and buzzer-beating shot in seven days to give the Cougars an 83-82 double-overtime victory against Bellevue University on Friday night.

After an upset victory against Oklahoma Christian, the Columbia College women’s basketball team suffered an emotional letdown Saturday.

The Cougars were outhustled for the majority of the game and a late rally fell short as Ohio Dominican held on for an 89-79 win at the Arena of Southwell Complex.

Jim Sutherland wasn’t sure what to expect.

After losing five seniors from last year’s team, the Hickman boys’ basketball coach entered the season with plenty of questions.

Lauren Harris, a senior forward, watched from the bench in the second quarter. That’s when she realized what it would take to win the game for the Hickman Kewpies.

“Defense wins games,” Harris said. “I knew it was time to D-up.”

There is no better way to start a season than against familiar competition.

The Missouri women’s gymnastics team has a Black and Gold intrasquad scrimmage at 2 p.m. today in Hearnes Center. The event is open to the public and will be the first time this season Tigers gymnasts will compete in front of judges and fans.

Two turnover-plagued wins is not the type of preparation most teams like taking on the road.

It might seem like an equation for disaster, but No. 4 Missouri hopes Saturday’s matchup against Indiana in Bloomington creates different results.

Hannibal’s early lead was too much for Hickman wrestlers to handle.

The Pirates led the entire match in a 43-28 win Thursday at Hickman.

As soon as MU Chancellor Richard Wallace was notified that the NCAA was starting its investigation of the Missouri basketball program Sept. 25, the countdown to its conclusion started.

The investigation was expected to finish by December, but the NCAA announced Thursday it is extending the preliminary fact-gathering stage of its inquiry.

For $20, Missouri basketball fans can pick up a Missouri Basketball Yearbook at any of the Tigers’ home games. They can buff up on the program’s history, scout opponents and peek into Missouri’s recruiting tactics.

It’s what fans won’t be seeing in this year’s guide that’s making headlines.

Kansas State plays the No. 1 team in the country Saturday, but that is not coach Bill Snyder’s biggest worry. What concerns Snyder is that in Oklahoma, the Wildcats might face the best team in history.

“Off the top of my head, I can’t think of one that’s better,” Snyder said.