NORMAL, Ill. – MiKyle McIntosh scored seven of Illinois State’s 10 overtime points and finished with a game-high 21 to lead the Redbirds past visiting Missouri State, 74-71, here Wednesday in a Missouri Valley Conference game that featured 10 ties and 12 lead changes.
Jarrid Rhodes poured in a career-high 19 points for Missouri State (11-5, 2-1 MVC), including five 3-pointers. Ryan Kreklow added three treys and 11 points for the Bears, who attempted a school-record 38 long-range shots.
Rhodes’ jumper in the paint with 7.1 seconds left in regulation forced extra time, and his 22-footer with 2:47 left in the second period put the Bears ahead 62-60 at the time.
The Redbirds (11-4, 3-0) made one field goal down the stretch – a layup by Deontae Hawkins that tied the game at 62 – but McIntosh’s two free throws with 65 seconds on the second-half clock gave ISU a narrow two-point lead. Both teams turned the ball over in the final minute before Rhodes’ jumper tied it up and carried the game into overtime.
Rhodes then started overtime with a three from the top of the key to give MSU its only lead of the bonus period. ISU reeled off the game’s next eight points to lead it 72-67 before the cardiac Bears again charged back.
After missed 3-pointers by Alize Johnson and Austin Ruder in OT, the Bears had to foul, but the Redbirds opened the door with four straight missed foul shots in a key stretch. Jarred Dixon took advantage and got the Bears back within 72-69 on a floater with 25.6 seconds to go.
McIntosh then went back to the line and made both foul shots on ISU’s next trip before Ruder countered with a clutch two-point jumper at the 11-second mark.
The Bears fouled McIntosh again, and this time he missed both free throws, giving the Bears one last possession for the tie, down by three.
With just four whistles called against ISU in the second half and overtime, they had personal fouls to give and used two of them before MSU crossed mid-court. With one last gasp at life, the Bears triggered the inbound pass to Kreklow who came up just short on a 25-footer before the final horn sounded.
“This was a tough Valley game,” said MSU head coach Paul Lusk. “This was a high-level game, and give them credit. But it was good to see how we responded and fought when things weren’t going our way.”
The two clubs battled even on the glass, 41-41, with MSU committing just 11 turnovers and snagging 8 steals – three by Kreklow who started in place of the injured Ronnie Rousseau III. The Bears also converted four more field goals than ISU and tallied 12 second-chance points off 14 offensive rebounds.
Dequon Miller played 43 minutes and dished out a career-high 8 assists for the maroon side with just one turnover. Johnson was MSU’s top rebounder with 10.
Hawkins added 20 points for Illinois State on 7-of-10 from the field, while Paris Lee notched 11 points and 10 rebounds.
In the first half, MSU weathered an early storm to lead 34-32 at the break. Illinois State jumped out to a 19-10 lead that included three treys on a 12-2 Redbird run. The Bears countered with a 10-0 run later in the half paced by long-range bombs by Rhodes and Miller to push ahead 24-23 with 3:35 to play.
MSU’s defense held the Redbirds without a field goal for more than eight-and-a-half minutes after the midway point of the opening half. ISU would eventually find its mark and tie the game at 30 in the final minute of the half before a triple by Ruder and technical free throw by Miller gave MSU a halftime lead.
Missouri State finished 14-of-38 (.368) from long range, just one triple shy of matching a school record. The Bears were also 26-of-73 (.356) overall and 5-of-7 (.714) at the foul line.
Illinois State made a living at the stripe, converting 23-of-34 (.676) attempts at the foul line. The Redbirds were also 22-of-51 (.431) overall and 7-of-17 (.412) from bonus distance.
The Bears return to Valley play on Saturday afternoon at JQH Arena against league rival Southern Illinois (9-7, 2-1) at 3 p.m., on CBS Sports Network. Bleacher seat tickets for the SIU game are available for just $5.
