Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Indiana State got 16 points from redshirt freshman Brenton Scott, including several key 3-pointers in the second half, but Missouri State won a back-and-forth contest with a 60-56 decision tonight (Feb. 18) inside the JQH Arena.
The Sycamores fell to 13-14, 9-6 MVC while Missouri State improved to 10-17, 4-11 MVC. The two teams split their season series. Indiana State is now in a tie with Evansville for third place in the MVC standings with three games remaining.
Scott went 6-of-11 shooting and hit four 3-pointers in the game to lead with 16 points. Khristian Smith scored the Sycamores' final 10 points over a five minute stretch of the first half and finished with 13. Devonte Brown tallied six assists and led the team with seven rebounds.
Missouri State scored the first five points of the game until Devonte Brown hit a driving lay-up right down the middle of the paint at the 16:08 mark to get the Sycamores within 5-2. Justin Gant's 3-pointer from the top of the key with 14:50 to got the Sycamores within two points, but the Bears scored four in a row for the six-point lead and forced an Indiana State timeout.
The Bears extended the led out to eight points, but Brenton Scott's Scott jumper as the clock ticked under 10 minutes cut the advantage down five and after a MSU score, Scott hit a 3-pointer to get the Sycamores within 17-12. The 9-0 run continued with a Kitchell trifecta and Scott's lay-up in transition off the feed from Brown and the score was tied at 17 with 7:34 to go. MSU then called their first timeout.
Dorrian Williams stopped the run with a 3-pointer, but Khristian Smith countered with jumper in the paint off an in bounds play to get the Sycamores within 20-19 with 4:59 to go. Smith struck again with 3:40 on the clock with a long jumper from beyond the free throw line. T.J. Bell then took a charge and Smith hit another long jumper as the clock ticked under three minutes for a 23-20 advantage. MSU answered and Smith scored again with two minutes to go to restore the three-point cushion. It marked a stretch of eight points in a row for Smith.
MSU knotted the game with a 3-pointer before Smith made it 10 points in a row with a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left in the first half for the 27-25 lead. Williams hit a 3-pointer for the Bears as the clock expired to send the Bears into the locker room with a 28-27 lead. Khristian Smith, who scored all 10 points of his first half points in the final five minutes of the first half, paced the Sycamores at the break.
The two teams traded baskets in the first two minutes after halftime, both on second chance opportunities as MSU held a 30-29 lead. After a defensive stop, Kitchell grabbed an offensive rebound and layed it in for the 31-30 cushion with 17:20 remaining. A pair of charity tosses gave the Bears the lead again, but Smith answered at the 14:58 mark to push the Sycamores ahead 33-32.
Four points in a row for the Bears were answered with a Grant Prusator 3-pointer off the baseline feed from Scott to knot the contest at 36 with 13:24 to go. After MSU hit a pair of free throws, the Sycamores got a big 3-pointer in the corner from Tre' Bennett out of a media timeout to regain a 39-38 advantage. Christian Kirk hit a reverse lay-up, but Scott hit a 3-pointer with 9:45 remaining for the 42-40 cushion.
Missouri State had an extended possession which ended with a high floater by Chris Kendrix with 8:30 remaining to tie the score for the sixth time at 42. The Bears called timeout following the score. Christian Kirk then scored from outside for the brief MSU lead before Bennett hit the Sycamores' fourth 3-pointer after the half for a 45-44 lead with 7:16 to go.
Devonte Brown recorded a steal and sent Smith to the free throw line where he hit 1-of-2 for a 46-44 lead. Kendrix had the answer with a jumper in the paint as the clock neared five minutes to knot the contest at 46. Kendrix then hit a trio of 3-pointers but Bell answered with a one-handed dunk with just under four minutes remaining to get the Sycamores within 49-48.
Thurman and Bennett each traded field goals around the three minute mark as the Bears continued to hold a 51-50 cushion. Boone scored inside at the death of the shot clock and Scott came down to drill a 3-pointer with 2:20 remaining to level the score at 53.
Tied at 53, with 1:58 remaining, Camyn Boone went to the free throw line after the final media timeout, and hit a pair for the two-point Bears' lead. The answer, the Sycamores moved the ball and Scott hit a 3-pointer with 1:45 on the clock for a 56-55 advantage. After a Missouri State timeout, Boone missed a pair of free throws, but MSU came down with the rebound. Williams then hit a jumper with 45.3 seconds left to put the Bears ahead 57-56.
Brenton Scott, who had been huge in the second half, was off the mark and forced the Sycamores to foul. Two free throws from Loomis Gerring put the Bears ahead 59-56. Gant then had an open look at a 3-pointer but it was off and Missouri State came down with the decision as the ball went out of bounds.
The Sycamores fouled Boone with 10.4 remaining and he missed both charity tosses. Indiana State called timeout, to set up a game-tying play. Khristian Smith caught the ball and got a good look off but it was off. The Bears added a free throw with three seconds left and Gant's desperation heave from halfcourt was off as Missouri State earned a 60-56 victory.
Chris Kendrix led the Bears with 20 points.
Indiana State returns home to face off against Southern Illinois on Saturday, February 21 inside Hulman Center. Tip-off is set for 1:05 p.m. (ET).
