TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State used a late run and hot shooting from sophomore Cooper Neese as well as the steady hand of junior Tyreke Key to down visiting Missouri-St. Louis by the score of 62-55 in the Sycamores 2019 debut inside Hulman Center.

Indiana State has now won three straight to improve to 3-4 while the Tritons are 6-1. This win inches the Sycamores closer to a historic milestone as it was the 1,499th win in the history of the program. The defense allowed just 55 points which improved the Sycamores to 96-10 when holding teams to 63 points or less under 10th-year head coach Greg Lansing. The victory also improved the Sycamores to 8-2 under Lansing in home openers. This was the latest home opener for the Sycamores since a contest against Loyola Chicago in early December of 1995.

Neese led the way for the Sycamores with 19 points on the strength of a 6-of-9 shooting performance, including a mark of 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Tyreke Key did most of his damage late at the charity stripe as he accounted for 16 of Indiana State's points and drew eight fouls in the contest. He was a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line. Christopher Agbo posted a team-high six rebounds as the Sycamores held a 32-26 edge on the glass.

The game was in doubt late as Jalen Wilkins-McCoy tallied a conventional 3-point play with 10:53 remaining to give Missouri St.-Louis a 43-40 advantage. ISu answered with a pair of Key free throws with 9:32 on the clock and Agbo converted 1-of-2 to knot the contest at 43. Those free throws kick started a 12-0 Sycamore run which gave Indiana State a 52-43 lead with 5:38 remaining. The run featured a turnaround jumper by Neese at the 5:53 mark and was capped by a pair of Key free throws. UMSl countered with a trifecta from Shane Wissink to cut the lead down tot six points but ISu got a bucket from Tre Williams and a Key fast break layup with 4:33 remaining to push the ISU advantage back up to 56-46.

Wilkins-McCoy would make a jumper, but Neese made his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 3:13 to go which gave ISU a 59-48 lead. The lead would beat at 62-49 with 2:07 on the clock when Cam Bacote hit a free throw. UMSL would go on to score the final six points of the game as earned a 62-55 victory. 

Indiana State hit 18-of-42 shots in the contest (42.9 percent) and were 7-of-16 (43.8 percent) from long range. ISU recorded 14 assists in the game against 18 made buckets, but had 16 turnovers which resulted in 10 Triton points. The Sycamores battled the slow tempo of UMSL by pushing the ball at certain opportunities which allowed the Sycamores to score 13 points in transition. 

Jordan Barnes added a 3-pointer to give him 234 for his career -- which is third-best on the ISU career chart.

The Sycamores began well after an early UMSL bucket as the Sycamores scored the next six, including the first triple of the contest from Neese. A Cobie Barnes conventional 3-point play with 13:02 to go before the half staked the Sycamores to an early 13-6 lead.

Another Cobie Barnes jumper with 9:03 remaining staked ISU to a 20-13 cushion but UMSL scored the next eight to give them a 21-20 lead on a Bobby Parker 3-point shot with 4:07 on the clock. Key answered with a trifecta of his own to give the Sycamores a two-point lead at the 1:19 mark which was a four-point play after a foul on the way back down to the floor. That Key trifecta ended a seven minute, 40 second scoring drought. Jordan Barnes hit a free throw with 33 seconds remaining to give the Sycamores a 25-23 halftime lead.

Yaakema Rose led UMSL with 15 points. The Triton loss does not count against their overall record as they elected to use this game as one of their two exhibition contests.

The Sycamores now turn their attention to North Dakota State who visits on Tuesday, December 3. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. (ET). Fans are asked to bring an unwrapped children's toy with them to benefit the 300 Wishes Campaign by Hi-99 and Mix FM. Those that donate a toy will receive a voucher for any Sycamore Basketball home game in the month of January.