Khristian Smith logged a game-high 20 points and collected three big buckets in the final three minutes of the game to lift Indiana State to a 68-59 comeback win over visiting Missouri State here Wednesday in Missouri Valley Conference play.
The Bears (8-13, 4-5 MVC) led for more than 25 minutes and built a 12-point advantage midway through the first half before the Sycamores (12-9, 6-3) broke open a tied game in the final eight minutes.
Missouri State was led by freshman Jarred Dixon who posted a career-high 19 points, while Dequon Miller tossed in 12. Obediah Church added 9 rebounds for MSU.
ISU, which improved to 8-2 at home this season, out-rebounded the visitors by a 51-41 margin and snagged 14 offensive rebounds to lead to 14 second-chance points. Joining Smith in double figures on the winning side was Devonte Brown with 15 points and Brenton Scott with 10.
Neither team shot the ball particularly well with the Bears converting just 24 percent of their attempts in the second half and 32.3 (20-for-62) percent for the game. MSU was also just 1-of-8 from bonus distance and struggled at the line to the tune of 18-of-31 (.581). But despite the spotty offensive production, MSU got timely stops most of the night on the defensive end, snagging 9 steals and holding the Sycamores to just three 3-pointers.
Dixon scored Missouri State’s first five points of the second half, including a jumper at the 15-minute mark that broke a 34-34 tie at the time. Tyler McCullough scored on a put-back on MSU’s next possession to give Paul Lusk’s club a four-point advantage.
The Sycamores fought back to tie it again before Ryan Kreklow splashed home the Bears’ only triple of the ball game to make it 41-38 at the 11:17 mark. But that shot would mark MSU’s last field goal until a dunk by Robin Thompson nearly eight minutes later.
Meanwhile the home side climbed back ahead and made some clutch shots, going on a 7-0 run after Smith tied the game at 42 and getting big buckets from close range by Emondre Rickman to push ahead by eight points at the five-minute mark.
MSU got single free throws by Miller and Dorrian Williams before Thompson’s dunk got the Bears within 54-50. But Smith then took the wheel and drove the Sycamores to the finish line – first on shot off the glass, followed by a transition layup and a traditional 3-point play at the two-minute mark made it 61-52.
The Bears would get no closer than six the rest of the way and fell at the Hulman Center for the fourth straight season.
MSU was without the services of Camyn Boone who did not play while resting an ankle injury. The smaller, quicker lineup served the Bears well, particularly early with the team coming up one short of season high with 9 steals, including three apiece by Miller and Williams as part of 16 ISU turnovers.
Indiana State finished 23-for-63 (.365) from the field, 3-of-22 (.136) from long range and most-importantly 19-for-23 (.826) at the foul line.
In the first half, Missouri State scored 10 points off 10 Sycamore turnovers to lead 31-27 at the break. An 11-0 run by the Bears midway through the half pushed the visitors’ advantage from 12-11 to 23-11 in the span of less than four minutes.
The run was ignited by a pair of baskets by McCullough, while Dixon scored in transition and Miller converted a pair of free throws and an elbow jumper.
Indiana State answered with an 8-0 outburst of its own to get back within four before a dunk by Church swung the momentum back MSU’s way. ISU would later climb within two before the break by going 8-for-8 at the line, but Dixon’s jumper just before the horn restored order for the Bears to lead by four at the midway point.
The Bears return to JQH Arena Saturday afternoon to entertain Illinois State (12-10, 6-3 MVC) at 3 p.m., to start the second half of the Valley slate. Tickets for the ISU game are available at MissouriStateBears.com/tickets or during regular box office hours at JQH Arena and by phone at (417) 836-7678.
