SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State women’s basketball improved to 16-5 (7-3 MVC) on the season with a thrilling 53-52 victory over Southern Illinois (12-7, 7-2 MVC) here Sunday evening.
For the second consecutive game, the Lady Bears rolled out a new starting lineup, with transfer Jennifer Ezeh drawing her first collegiate start in her first game at JQH Arena.
Both squads struggled to get going offensively, with neither team scoring until the 6:52 mark of the first quarter when SIU broke through with a free throw. Fifth-year senior Abi Jackson got the scoring started for MSU shortly thereafter with a layup to give MSU an early 2-1 lead.
Southern Illinois answered with a 7-0 run over nearly four minutes in the opening quarter before Ezeh and Mariah White knocked down buckets to close the gap to two points. SIU hit a jumper at the end of the period to take a 10-6 lead after the first 10 minutes in Springfield.
Sydney Wilson and Ezeh opened up the second quarter with four consecutive points for MSU to tie the game at 10 before SIU hit a quick jumper to pull back ahead. Sixth-year senior Brice Calip hit her first long-range shot of the game, followed by a Jackson layup to give the home team a three-point advantage, before SIU’s Abby Brockmeyer then answered with a 4-0 run of her own to bring the game back within a point.
However, the Lady Bears responded in a big way with a 7-0 run, sparked by a Wilson jumper and Calip’s second three-pointer of the quarter, to take their biggest lead of the first half at six points. Both teams continued to fight, as SIU went on a 5-0 run to cut the MSU lead back to a point with under two minutes remaining.
In the waning seconds of the first half, Mariah White connected on her second basket of the night, as she hit a three-pointer to extend the Lady Bear lead to 25-21 heading into the locker room. Calip and Ezeh led the way for Missouri State in the first 20 minutes with six points each, with Calip going 2-for-2 from behind the arc and Ezeh grabbing five first-half rebounds.
Jackson helped the Lady Bears pick up where they left off in the first half, hitting a jumper coming out of the break. After a quick SIU score, Wilson and Calip scored on back-to-back Lady Bear possessions to take an eight-point lead, which would ultimately be MSU’s largest lead of the game.
After the Lady Bears pushed the lead to eight points, SIU once again punched back in a game that turned out to be a fight until the last possession. Southern Illinois reeled off an 11-1 run over a five-minute span in the third quarter, which included three three-pointers from Makenzie Silvey, to give the Salukis their first lead of the second half.
Both teams swapped baskets for the final two minutes of the third period, with SIU ending the quarter on a 4-0 run to take a four-point lead into the final 10 minutes. Despite allowing Southern Illinois to shoot 89 percent (8-for-9) from the field in the third, the Lady Bears were within striking distance heading into the fourth period.
Missouri State came out swinging after the quarter break, going on a 7-0 run to start an important fourth quarter. The run, which was kick-started by two Calip free throws, allowed MSU to pull in front by three points. SIU started to find their way to the line, as they made four free throws to tip the scales back in favor of the Salukis.
One of the most important moments of the game came at the 4:49 mark, as Wilson converted an and-1 opportunity to bring the game back to an even tie at 50-50.
From there, SIU scored on a layup with 4:03 on the clock to take a two-point advantage, but it would be the last time the Salukis scored in the game. Ezeh connected on one of her free throw attempts to bring the Lady Bears within one. Then, Calip made her way to the charity stripe a few minutes later and drained both of her free throws, scoring what would be the winning points in a hard-fought battle on Sunday night.
Wilson was the leading scorer for the Lady Bears on the night as she dropped 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field. Ezeh, in her first-ever college start and just her second college game, recorded a double-double with a 10-point, 11-rebound performance. Calip was the final Lady Bear in double figures with 14 points on the night while tying her season-high with six assists.
Missouri State will be back in action at JQH Arena on Friday, Feb. 11 as the Lady Bears take on Drake. First tip is set for 7 p.m.
