Missouri State led for the majority of the fourth quarter of its non-conference finale at Alabama Tuesday afternoon, but a closing 7-0 run by the Crimson Tide resulted in a 65-61 setback for the Lady Bears at Coleman Coliseum.
Missouri State (4-7) nearly secured its fourth straight win overall and second consecutive over a Power Five school, holding the Tide (8-3) scoreless for nearly six minutes around halftime for a 29-28 lead early in the third quarter, and using a 10-0 run later in the period for a 44-40 advantage with 2:22 to play.
Alabama tied the scored twice early in the fourth quarter before Brice Calip‘s 3-point play gave MSU the 52-49 advantage with 7:40 to play, and Liza Fruendt‘s 3-pointer at the 4:04 mark matched the Lady Bears’ largest lead of the game at 59-55. Danielle Gitzen followed to make it 61-58 with 2:46 remaining, but that would be Missouri State’s last score of the contest.
The Crimson Tide sliced the lead to 61-60 two possessions later, and the Lady Bears blocked a UA 3-pointer as the shot clock wound down the next time down the floor, but a fortuitous bounce landed in Alabama’s hands for the offensive board and put back with 28.9 seconds left for the 62-61 lead.
From there, Alabama pressured the Lady Bears into four turnovers in the closing seconds, and the Tide hit three free throws in the interim to seal the win.
The Lady Bears fell behind by as many as eight points in the first half, but clawed back to a 28-27 halftime deficit after Calip banked in a 30-footer at the buzzer and the defense surrendered just eight points in the second period. MSU was whistled for 12 fouls in the opening 20 minutes and had three starters on the bench with multiple fouls before the second-quarter media timeout.
Willard led MSU with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Aubrey Buckley scored 11, and Calip and Fruendt finished with nine apiece. Shameka Ealygrabbed six rebounds, and the Tide held a 42-37 lead on the boards after a strong final quarter.
Each team attempted 60 shots, with the Tide make 24 and MSU connecting on 22. Alabama was plus six at the foul line, while the Lady Bears shot 39 percent from long range and held UA to 1-for-19 from distance.
MSU is off until the Missouri Valley Conference opener on Dec. 29 at Indiana State.
