SPRINGFIELD, Mo. ? The Hammons Student Center has not been a kind place to the Indiana State men's basketball team, as they headed into Tuesday night's game with Missouri State with a 0-17 record in the building. The Sycamores (9-7, 4-2 MVC) had one last chance to get their first win before the building is retired after the season, but the Bears (10-8, 3-3 MVC) used their home court advantage once against won earned a decisive 65-44 win in front of 6,021 fans.
The Bears jumped out to a 4-0 lead, before sophomore Harry Marshall connected on a jumper to make the score 4-2 with 16:45 left on the clock. However, that would be the last basket for ISU for nearly eight minutes and MSU went on an 11-0 run to widen the lead to 15-2 before senior Gabe Moore hit a jumper to make the score 15-4 with 8:40 left in the first half.
ISU then mounted a small comeback and cut the lead to nine points at 18-9 on a three-pointer by sophomore Marico Stinson drained a three-pointer with 6:40 left on the clock. However, the Bears controlled the rest of the half and allowed just three more points to the Sycamores and took a 32-12 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The second half saw Missouri State jump out to a 22-point lead at 36-14 just 1:30 into the half, before the Sycamores went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 14 points. Stinson kick-started the run with his second three-pointer of the game and Marshall followed with a fast break slam dunk to keep the run going. Moore then capped off the run with a three-pointer of his own to make the score 36-22 with 16:23 left in the game.
The Bears would then hold the Sycamores to just three points over the next six minutes and extended their lead to 25 points at 50-25 after a made free throw by Deven Mitchell. ISU then chipped into the lead, thanks to three free throws by senior Todd McCoy to make the score 51-30 with 8:01 left in the game.
Missouri State continued to control the game and eventually led by as much as 30 points at 62-32 with 6:04 left in the game. The Sycamores finished the game on a 12-3, highlighted by three-pointers from Adam Arnold and Cole Holmstrom, but it was not enough and the Bears went on to secure the 65-44 victory.
Marshall led the way for the Sycamores with nine points and five rebounds in the game, while Stinson added eight points in the loss. The Bears were led by Dale Lamberth with 15 points and Spencer Laurie with 12 points and six rebounds.
ISU will return to action on Saturday, January 19, against the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha, Neb. Tip off is set for 8:35 p.m. EST at the Qwest Center and will televised live on Fox Sports Midwest as part of the Missouri Valley Conference's television package.
