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SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State held visiting Toledo to 28 percent shooting, including a 2-for-30 stretch over 18 minutes midway through the contest, to close out the non-conference schedule with a 9-2 record after a 60-46 victory Tuesday afternoon at JQH Arena.
The Lady Bears got a game-high 17 points from Brice Calip, Toledo native Mariah White scored 14, Jasmine Franklin had 10 and Sydney Wilson scored nine with a career-high 10 rebounds. Franklin also grabbed five boards to move from fifth to third on MSU’s career rebounding list.
Missouri State never trailed, making its first three shots and leading 6-0 less than two minutes into its 12th consecutive home win, and used a 14-1 run with six points each from Calip and Franklin to fend off Toledo (6-3) after the Rockets closed to 17-16 early in the second quarter.
The Lady Bears led 33-22 at the half and began the second 20 minutes on an 11-0 run capped by a Calip 3-pointer that made it 44-22 with 4:05 left in the third quarter. Missouri State led by as many as 23 points in the fourth period, and the final margin was as close as Toledo would get after that.
MSU shot 33 percent overall but was bolstered by a 17-for-18 showing at the foul line, a 46-38 rebounding margin and season-low 11 turnovers. The defense also held Toledo’s Quinesha Lockett, who entered with a 20.9 scoring average, to zero points on 0-for-7 shooting.
The Lady Bears begin Missouri Valley Conference play on New Year’s Eve when they host Loyola at 2 p.m.
