Five in Double Figures as Emporia State Defeats Missouri Western 95-85

February 26,2025-Emporia State scored a season high 95 points and put five players in double figures in a 95-85 win over Missouri Western to keep their MIAA Tournament hopes alive and give head coach Tom Billeter his 500th career win.
 
The Griffons opened the game red hot, hitting eight of their first nine shots from the field as they built a 24-12 lead with 13:14 left in the half.  The Hornets answered with a 19-5 run in just over four minutes in which they hit six of seven from the field, including four straight from beyond the three-point line, to take a 31-29 lead with 8:22 left in the half.  Western went back up by five with 4:48 left before Emporia State closed the half on a 15-4 run to take a 49-43 lead to the locker room.
 
The Griffons shot 57.7% from the field and hit seven of 15 three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes but Emporia State countered with 65.4% effort from the field and hit ten of 11 from beyond the arc.
 
The Hornets scored the first 12 points of the second half to extend their run to 17-0 and take their biggest lead of the night at 61-43 with 16:56 left.  The Griffons chipped away at the lead and got it below double digits at 68-59 with 10:44 left only to see Brayson Laube and Arhman Lewis hit back to back three-pointers to push the deficit back to 15 points at the 9:22 mark.  Western again got the lead under ten with a pair of Zane Nelson free throws with 4:26 left to make it 83-75 but Lewis answered with another three-pointer followed by two free throws from Justin Mack t give Emporia State an 88-75 lead with 3:39 to go. 
 
The Griffons scored the next eight points to make it interesting as they trailed 88-83 with 2:04 left.  With the shot clock winding down on the next possession, Malik Edwards Jr. found Parker Day for a lay up and he was fouled. After completing the and one ESU led 91-83.  Kiani Saxon missed two free throws for MWSU with 1:19 remaining and Day pushed the Hornet lead back to double digits with a jump hook in the lane to give ESU a 93-83 lead with 57.1 seconds left.  Zion Swader scored with 49 seconds left but it would be the last points of the game for Western while Karyiek Dixon hit two of four free throws to make the final score 95-85.
 
Parker Day led Emporia State with 24 points as all five starters reached double figures for the Hornets.  Arhman Lewis had 17 points and six assists, Brayson Laube was a perfect five of five from the field with four three-pointers and two free throws for 16 points. Chris Harris scored 14 with six rebounds while Karyiek Dixon scored ten and grabbed a team high seven boards.
 
Emporia State will wrap up the regular season on Saturday, March 1 when they travel to Northwest Missouri.  Tip-off from Bearcat Arena is set for 3:30 p.m. in Maryville, Mo.