Missouri State used a 13-0 outburst midway through the opening half to set a blistering pace and never looked back in a 67-50 win here Sunday over Valparaiso in Missouri Valley Conference play.
It was Valparaiso’s first home game as a member of the MVC.
The Bears (12-3, 2-0 MVC) were led by Jarrid Rhodes with 15 points, while Alize Johnson notched his ninth double-double of the campaign with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Obediah Church and Jarred Dixon added 10 points apiece for MSU.
Valparaiso (9-6, 0-2) shot just 34.8 percent from the field and turned the ball over 16 times thanks in part to solid defense from the Bears.
After Rhodes forced a Crusaders timeout with back-to-back 3-pointers to push MSU ahead 17-11, Valparaiso climbed back within 17-15 at the midway point of the opening half, But the Bears responded with 13 unanswered points over the next six minutes to lead 30-15.
The home club would get no closer than 12 the rest of the game.
Missouri State built its biggest lead midway through the second stanza with a 3-pointer by J.T. Miller than made it 56-29 with 10:06 to play. The Bears held serve from there until both teams cleared their benches in the final three minutes.
A buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Valparaiso’s Max Joseph made the final margin 17. Joseph led the Crusaders with 13 points.
Rhodes was 5-of-9 from long range for the Bears, matching a career high from long distance, while MSU’s 40-31 rebounding advantage was the club’s 14th in 15 games.
Church added 4 blocked shots for the Bears, while Reggie Scurry added 9 points and 6 rebounds off the bench for the Bears who picked up their sixth win away from home.
For the game, Missouri State was 23-of-59 (.390) overall, 8-of-28 (.286) from downtown and 13-of-15 (.867) at the line with just 9 turnovers.
MSU held Valpo to 16-of-46 (.348) overall and 5-of-19 (.263) from long range. The Crusaders were 13-of-20 (.650) from the stripe with 20 points in the paint.
Missouri State returns to JQH Arena on Thursday to take on Northern Iowa at 8 p.m. The national telecast on CBS Sports Net also features the $5 bleacher ticket deal.
Tickets for the UNI game are on sale now at MissouriStateBears.com or at the Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena — (417) 836-7678 – during regular box office hours.
