RICHMOND, Va. – Missouri State held Virginia Commonwealth to season lows in points and field goal percentage, but could not overcome a slow start and 26 turnovers in a 61-51 loss Sunday evening.
MSU freshman Isiaih Mosley tallied a game-high 15 points off the bench for the Bears (6-6), including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, while Keandre Cook pitched in 12 points, and Gaige Prim added 10.
Mikel Simms scored 11 points for VCU (8-2), while De’Riante Jenkins added 10 points, despite making just one of his 12 field goal attempts.
The Rams made one less field goal than MSU, converting 19-of-56 shots for a season-low 33.9 percent. But VCU made up for it with its full-court pressure which helped force 16 MSU turnovers in the first half — and a season-high for the game. For the night, VCU turned Missouri State’s 26 mishaps into 20 points on the its end behind 16 steals, including four from Isaac Vann.
The Bears trailed by 10 at the intermission but played an even second half, including a 6-2 run to start the final stanza that cut MSU’s deficit to 37-31 just over three minutes in. But as it did frequently in a game of runs by the home side, VCU answered 14 seconds later with a triple from Simms.
Simms got into the action again a few possessions later after Mosley’s second trey of the night brought the Bears back within 43-36. Simms sprinted to the corner in transition and buried a long trey to push the Rams advantage back to double figures.
VCU would build its lead to 14 points three times from there, including a 57-43 advantage with 5:36 to play after a trey from Jenkins. But three of MSU’s final four field goals were from long range with Mosley, Tyrik Dixon and Cook knocking down 3-pointers in the final six minutes to demonstrate a strong finish from the visitors.
Missouri State made 20-of-50 (.400) shots from the field and 7-of-17 (.412) from 3-point range while making all four of its rare free throw chances – all of which came in the first half. The Bears also dominated the glass, holding a 42-27 rebounding advantage with Tulio Da Silva snagging a game-high 10 boards, including four of the team’s 11 offensive caroms.
Including Mosely’s 6-for-7 effort, MSU’s reserves combined to make 10-of-14 field goal attempts and outscore the VCU bench, 27-20.
VCU was 9-of-23 (.391) from 3-point range while converting 14-of-20 (.700) free throws and turning the ball over just eight times.
In the first half, MSU had difficulty solving the VCU press out of the gates, falling behind 7-0 and turning the ball over 10 times in the first 11 minutes. But the Bears persevered with solid rebounding to keep things close most of the opening stanza.
A 3-pointer by Cook before the under-eight media timeout made it a 22-16 game and cut into what was an early 10-point deficit. Mosley and Prim answered with buckets to make it a 22-18 contest with 5:46 remaining before the break.
But the Rams responded with an 8-0 run paced by triples from Jimmy Clark and Vince Williams to give the home side its biggest lead of the half, 30-18.
The Bears rallied before the intermission, with Mosley leading the charge with a 3-pointer, a steal and layup to get MSU within 32-25. But VCU got the last bucket of the period, a three from Williams to give VCU a 35-25 lead at the break.
The Bears will conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule on Saturday when they take on Oral Roberts at 1 p.m. from the Mabee Center in Tulsa.
Missouri State then returns home on Tuesday, Jan. 31 when the Bears host Evansville at 4 p.m. in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams.
