Blaine Kinsey

GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- For the first time since the 2000-01 season the Sycamore men's basketball team (12-7, 7-1 MVC) has a share of first place in the MVC midway through the season after knocking off league leading Missouri State 70-69 at the buzzer Wednesday at Hulman Center.

After scoring the first bucket of the game the Sycamores struggled for much of the first half.

Both teams struggled offensively which led to a low scoring first half where the Bears led 18-13 with 7:57 left in the half.

The Bears offense began to heat up though and with 6:41 to play pulled out to their largest lead of the game at seven.

The Sycamores responded and cut the lead to three with just seconds left in the first half. The Bears knocked down a jumper as time expired though to give them a five point lead heading into the locker room.

After the break the Sycamores were unable to cut the Bears lead to less than seven until nearly five minutes into the half.

The Sycamore offense then began to heat up and cut the Bears lead to one off an And-1 from senior guard Jake Kelly and a 3-pointer from junior forward Carl Richard.

With 12:00 remaining on the clock the Sycamores took their first lead of the game since the opening bucket at 42-40 and traded baskets all the way to the end of the game.

With 57 seconds left in regulation the Bears hit a jumper to pull ahead by four at 69-65. The Bears then fouled senior guard Aaron Carter on the other end who pulled the Sycamores back to within two with a pair of free throws.

The Sycamore defense got a stop and got the ball back on the sideline with 4.9 seconds left in the game.

Kelly got the inbound, drove the lane and took it to the hoop for a basket as time expired and was fouled in the process to tied the game at 69. The officials went back and reviewed the bucket to make sure it went in before time expired and determined that there were six tenths of a second left in the game.

Kelly then stood at the free throw line and hit the go-ahead free throw with six tenths remaining. Missouri State inbounded and it was stolen by the Sycamores giving the Sycamores a 70-69 win and a share of first place in the Missouri Valley Conference Standings.

The Sycamores shot 75 percent from beyond the arc in the second half and 48 percent from the floor for the game.

Carter led the Sycamores with 19 points, two rebounds two assists.

Joining Carter in double figures was Richard who had 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Freshman forward RJ Mahurin had 11 points and three rebounds for the Sycamores.

With the win both Missouri State and the Sycamores now have a 7-1 record in league play and the Sycamores are undefeated at home this season and have won 13 straight at home.

The Sycamores will next be in action Saturday on the road against the No. 2 team in the MVC, the Shockers of Wichita State at 8:05 p.m.