Tabor Sweeps C of O Basketball Teams

The College of the Ozarks Basketball Teams are swept by visiting Tabor Tuesday night.

Information edited from C of O Sports Information Press Releases:

After opening the season seven days earlier, the College of the Ozarks Lady Bobcats were finally set to step back into action.  The Lady Bobcats played host to the Tabor Bluejays Tuesday night and the offense struggled to get going.

The Bluejays stepped out in front early and led 7-2 with three minutes gone in the opening frame and led 22-10 at the end of the 1st Quarter. While the Lady Bobcats trailed by only six at half 35-29. the visitors reasserted control in the second half and rolled to a 81-47.

Annie Noah led all scorers with 20 points, pulling down seven rebounds.  Kayley Frank scored nine, while Jordan Wersinger contributed six, Katie Mayes – four, Kyra Hardesty and Blythe Benefield - three, and Dani Kerns and Stevi Jones added one each.

The Lady Cats will travel to Des Moines, IA Friday and Saturday for the Grand View Classic.  Games both days will tip off at 5:30 PM

Meanwhile, the men's game looked to be a battle from the opening tip  with the visitors earning a 37-33 halftime lead, then pulling away to lead by as many as 18 points. Garrett Simmerman became the Bobcat offense in the second half as he scored the first 11 points of the half. A Drew Vachon jumper cut the deficit to 10 with 6:47 to play and the Bobcats needed to make a run.  The defensive effort for the Cats stepped up and the next 3:30 was all C of O.  Tabor could not find the basket and the Bobcats continued to chip away.  With 3:18 left to play, a Simmerman bucket cut the gap to four, 56-52.  Tabor finally scored but Tanner Rogers drilled a deep three to get the Bobcats to within three with 1:14 left on the clock.  Tabor scored with :48 left and Matt Luebbert supplied the answer just :08 later.  Both teams had opportunities to take advantage of their opponent but neither team could do so.  As time ran down, Tabor hit a free throw to expand the lead to four.  The Bobcats were unable to get a shot and time expired. The Bobcats had clawed their way back from an 18-point deficit but eventually fell, 61-57.

Garrett Simmerman led all scorers with 20 point to go along with his seven rebounds. Tanner Rogers added nine, Blaine Cline, Josh Linehan, and Matt Luebbert each chipped in six, Kyle Flavin scored five, Buck Sanders added three, and Tanner Diaz contributed two.  Blaine Cline continued to show his presents on the boards as he pulled down eight rebounds.

The Bobcats will be back in action at home Saturday, November 6, at 3:15 when they host Hannibal-LaGrange University in the Homecoming 2021 game.