FORT MYERS, Fla. – No. 24/25 Missouri State out-scored No. 11/12 Maryland by 25 points over the game’s final 21 minutes Saturday, overcoming a 43-27 deficit late in the first half for an 81-72 victory over the Terrapins at the Gulf Coast Showcase at Alico Arena.
Senior Brice Calip scored a career-high 26 points and went 10-for-14 at the foul line to lead the Lady Bears (2-0) to their fifth victory over a top-25 team in the last 36 games, while the Terps (1-1) became the highest-ranked team MSU has beaten since No. 5 Duke in the 2001 Sweet 16. The 16-point deficit was the largest overcome by the Lady Bears since a 20-point comeback at Oklahoma last November.
Maryland led 43-27 with 1:53 left in the first half before the Lady Bears turned things around, closing to 43-32 at the break and opening the third quarter on an 18-2 run to turn the 16-point deficit into a 50-45 lead in just 6:09 of game time, including a 3-pointer from Mya Bhinhar for a 46-45 margin before Sydney Wilson’s bucket ended the run with 5:44 on the clock.
The Lady Bears won the third quarter by a 23-9 margin to lead 55-52 with 30 minutes left, and the early parts of the fourth period saw two ties and four lead changes, the last coming on Calip free throws with 5:18 to play that gave MSU the lead for good at 66-64.
Emily Gartner and Wilson followed to make it a 6-0 run at 70-64 with 4:18 remaining, and Missouri State kept the lead at four points or more until the final horn.
Jasmine Franklin scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half, adding eight rebounds and three steals, and Wilson scored 10 to reach double figures for the second straight game. MSU won the rebounding battle 41-36 and forced 23 Terrapin turnovers. Bhinhar added three steals and three assists.
Seven Lady Bears scored at least six points, and the team shot 28-for-67 overall (.418) and 5-for-15 from beyond the arc. MSU has now defeated a Power Five school in eight consecutive seasons.
Missouri State closes out the tournament Sunday afternoon with a 1:30 p.m. Central game against Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons lost to No. 14 Arkansas and defeated Davidson so far in the Beach Bubble.
