Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Brenton Scott provided a key 3-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation, but Missouri State proved to be victorious in overtime as they secured an 89-85 victory over the visiting Sycamores in front of 4,400 fans inside JQH Arena.
The Sycamores fell to 13-13, 7-7 MVC while Missouri State improved to 11-15, 7-7 MVC.
Devonte Brown finished the game with 26 points to lead the way for the Sycamores. Brandon Murphy pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds in the game. Scott added 19 points as he connected on four second half 3-pointers.
Trailing 77-74, Missouri State lost the ball on an inbounds play after a tip by Laqarious Paige. Scott hauled it in and drilled a 3-pointer with seconds left to knot the game at 77. MSU missed at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Scott then scored on the first possession of overtime with a driving lay-up to stake the Sycamores to a two point lead.
Miller tied it up for the Bears at the 3:30 mark and Brown converted a floater right back down the floor as ISU regained a two point lead. After the Sycamores gained the ball on the possession arrow, Brown drove to the lane to stake the Sycamores to a 83-79 lead. Boone countered at the 2:19 mark to draw within two points before Murphy came down with a big offensive rebound to save possession.
Kendrix hit a 3-pointer to push the Bears ahead and then Miller hit a pair of free throws with 20 seconds on the clock to stretch their lead out to 86-83 -- which marked a 7-0 run. Brown drew the deficit down to 86-84 with 11.9 as he hit a charity toss. After MSU hit enough free throws to take a four point lead, the Sycamores couldn't find the target from distance and the Bears earned the 89-85 victory.
Brandon Murphy scored first for the Sycamores which tied the game up early at two. Trifecats on consecutive possessions for Missouri State around an Everett Clemons jumper stretched their advantage out to 15-8 which just over five minutes elapsed. Matt Van Scyoc inched the Sycamores back into the contest when he hit the team's first 3-pointer to draw within 19-14 at the 11:15 mark.
The margin moved between five and seven points on three trips for both team's offense until the Bears ran their lead out to nine at 28-19 with just under eight minutes on the clock. Brenton Scott drilled a 3-pointer at the 7:35 mark before Brandon Burnett got a stop with a big defensive rebound before a media timeout. Burnett hit a big 3-pointer with 5:30 remaining which cut the lead down to 30-25.
Out of the final media timeout of the first half, Clemons hit a jumper from the free throw line and then after a Bear turnover, Grant Prusator connected on a deep trifecta which drew Indiana State within a point at 32-31. Niels Bunschoten was found wide open for a lay-up at the 1:57 mark to give the Sycamores their first lead of the contest. Camyn Boone got a second chance bucket inside at the buzzer to send the Bears into the break with a 35-33 advantage. Brown led the team with nine points.
Rickman scored on the Sycamores first possession to tie the game up at 35 before the Bears hit a 3-pointer to surge ahead. Bunschoten hit a trifecta from the top of the key on Indiana State's second possession to knot it up at 38. Brown hit a pair of free throws to tie it at 40 before the Bears scored five in a row. Khristian Smith connected on a 3-pointer to kick start a 7-0 run which continued with a Scott long two and a jumper from Smith as the Sycamores clawed their way to a 47-45 lead with just over 16 minutes remaining.
After the Bears regained the lead by a point, Murphy converted a conventional 3-point play with 14:45 on the clock with a thunderous dunk and the Sycamores led 50-48. Each team locked down tough on the defensive end, especially Indiana State who held the Bears without a score for nearly five minutes. Laquarious Paige ended a dry spell for the Sycamores with just under 11 minutes on the clock with a floater in the paint for the 52-48 lead. Chris Kendrix eventually would end the Bears' offensive lull with a pair of free throws to draw within two points but Van Scyoc countered with a hook shot in the paint to regain the 54-50 cushion.
Brown went on to hit a pair of free throws with 9:29 on the clock as part of a second chance opportunity which stretched the lead out to 57-52. Missouri State drew within a point, but Brenton Scott connected on a big 3-pointer as the clock ticked under the eight minute mark to stake the Sycamores to a 60-56 advantage. Boone countered with a short jumper to cut the lead down to two points.
The Bears scored on three consecutive trips and took a 64-62 lead. Indiana State got a stop and Scott went into double figures scoring with a pair of free throws to knot the game at 64 with 4:40 on the clock. Boone would go on to score five in a row for the Bears as they went ahead 69-64. Smith scored inside with 3:20 remaining to cut the MSU lead down to 69-66.
Brenton Scott missed a 3-pointer to tie it, but he hit his next attempt with 2:23 remaining which drew the Sycamores within 71-69 and Indiana State called timeout. Each team then traded charity tosses and MSU lead 72-70 with the ball. Loomis Gerring was fouled and hit one free throw to stretch the lead to three points. Brown countered with a quick lay-up and the MSU lead was down to 73-72.
Missouri State's Dixon hit a runner with 32.6 seconds on the clock as the Bears took a 75-72 lead and they called their final timeout. Brown hit a free throw after Missouri State called an extra timeout to draw within 75-73 with 21 seconds to go.
Camyn Boone led the way for the Bears with 30 points and 12 rebounds.
Indiana State stays on the road when they travel to Illinois State on Wednesday, February 17. Tip-off from Redbird Arena is set for 8:00 p.m. (ET) and the contest will can be seen live worldwide on The Valley On ESPN3.
