Missouri State (7-11, 3-3 MVC) held Bradley without a field goal for more than 13 minutes in the second half and rolled to a 61-42 Missouri Valley Conference road win here Saturday.
Bradley started five freshmen, and Missouri State started three in a battle of two of the league’s youngest squads. MSU’s four freshmen players accounted for 34 points or 56 percent of the Bears’ offense.
It was MSU’s third road win of the season and second in a row in conference play. Freshman Obediah Church led all players with 13 points and tallied his first career double-double with 13 rebounds. Classmate Ryan Kreklow contributed a career-high 12 for the Bears, while senior Camyn Boone pitched in 10.
Bradley (3-16, 1-5) was led by freshmen Ronnie Suggs and Callum Barker with 12 points apiece. Baker also added 13 rebounds.
Missouri State raced out to a 16-6 lead less than eight minutes into the game and pushed ahead 34-18 at the intermission behind a 54-percent shooting effort over the first 20 minutes. MSU kept its foot on the gas the second half, getting a layup by Church to lead by 18 with the first basket of the second half.
Bradley would not get closer than 12 the rest of the way and went 13 minutes, 16 seconds between field goals at a critical juncture in the second half.
Coach Paul Lusk’s squad forced 14 turnovers and surrendered just 11 field goals in the game, while collecting 7 steals with nagging defensive pressure most of the game. MSU also out-rebounding the Braves by a 39-31 margin.
Church scored 8 of his points in the second half, including two of his three dunks, and helped the visitors rack up 10 offensive rebounds and 30 points in the paint.
Eight of the 10 MSU players in uniform scored, including 4 points and a game-high 6 assists from Dorrian Williams who returned to action after missing four games with a hamstring injury.
The Bears finished 21-of-51 (.412) from the field, 4-of-13 (.308) from 3-point range and 15-for-25 (.600) at the line. Jarred Dixon and Kreklow tallied 3 steals apiece, and Boone picked up his 10th double-figure scoring game of the season and third straight.
Bradley was 11-for-41 (.268) from the field, 4-of-18 (.222) from extended distance and 16-for-22 (.727) at the stripe.
With the win, Missouri State jumped into a tie with Illinois State for fifth place in the MVC standings. The Bears also matched their total number of road victories from last season as they improved to 3-3 in away games this season.
The Bears will wrap a two-game league road swing Wednesday at Drake (5-12, 0-5) for a 7 p.m. tipoff on KOZL-27 and the Missouri State Television Network.
MSU returns to JQH Arena on Jan. 24 at 3 p.m. to challenge former head coach Barry Hinson and the Southern Illinois Salukis.
