Missouri Western dominates Haskell in non-conference finale

It’s rare to see out-of-conference basketball action this late in January, but Missouri Western’s men’s team found itself in that scenario Wednesday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse. Facing NAIA opponent Haskell, the Griffons showcased their firepower, cruising to a dominant 96-59 victory to close out non-conference play.

Neither team found the bottom of the net in the first minute and a half, with both squads exchanging early turnovers. But once Missouri Western got going, there was no looking back. Zion Swader opened the scoring with a layup off the glass, sparking a 14-2 run that set the tone. Swader and Justin Bubak emerged as the early catalysts, with Swader drilling a three-pointer and Bubak converting a layup.

Haskell didn’t get on the board until the 16:48 mark when Derek Factor knocked down a jumper to momentarily slow the Griffons’ momentum. But Bubak answered immediately, draining a three and throwing down a dunk off an inbound pass to keep Missouri Western in control.

Factor scored the Fighting Indians’ first four points before Tyson Radermacher added a deep three, but it barely dented the deficit. By the midway point of the first half, the Griffons held a commanding 25-7 lead.

While Missouri Western’s offense cooled slightly in the latter part of the half, enduring a four-minute scoring drought, Haskell struggled to capitalize. The Fighting Indians trimmed the margin only slightly, trailing 35-17 with just over four minutes before halftime. Julius Dixon and Kiani Saxon electrified the home crowd late in the half with back-to-back dunks, sending the Griffons into the break up 49-22.

The second half opened with a brief exchange of baskets, with Haskell’s Alexander Ellenwood knocking down a jumper before Bubak responded with another three. The back-and-forth action lasted for the first few minutes, but Missouri Western’s shooting prowess ultimately overwhelmed Haskell. The Griffons shot 55% from the field after halftime, sealing the rout.

Four Griffons finished in double figures, led by Bubak’s 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists, along with a steal and a block. Devin Butler followed with 18 points, while Dixon and Swader also reached double digits.

Missouri Western returns to action Saturday, hosting conference rival Northwest Missouri State at MWSU Fieldhouse.