SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State trio of Jonathan Mogo, Chance Moore and Alston Mason each had big moments in the game’s final minute to lift the home-standing Bears over visiting UIC, 63-59, here Tuesday in Missouri Valley Conference play.Mason tallied career highs in points (19), rebounds (5) and assists (5) to pace a MoState squad that trialed with just over two minutes to go. Donovan Clay also pitched in 19 points and 7 boards, while Mogbo added 12 points.After five unanswered points by UIC’s Filip Škobalj erased a three-point Bears lead with 2:04 remaining, Clay tied the game, 56-56, with a pair of free throws at the 1:21 mark. The Flames regained the advantage briefly on a free throw by Tre Anderson, but Chance Moore gathered in the rebound on Anderson’s second shot, giving the home team the ball down by one and less than a minute remaining.Moore then stepped up with one of the Bears’ biggest shots of the night, a 3-pointer from right wing that rattled home to give the Bears the lead for good with 48 ticks showing on the clock. After Christian Jones missed a 3-pointer on UIC’s next possession, the Bears secured the victory at the foul line. Mogo and Mason combined to go 4-for-4 at the line down the stretch to keep UIC just out of reach and push Missouri State to victory.The Bears (11-10, 7-4 MVC) overcame a rugged shooting night by going 14-of-18 (.778) at the free throw line, including nine straight makes to end the game – five by Mason. Missouri State was 22-of-58 (.379) overall from the field and 5-for-25 (.200) from long range. MSU also out-rebounded the visitors by a 38-34 margin, allowing just three second-chance points on the evening.UIC was led by 19 points and 11 rebounds by Jace Carter with Škobalj pitching in 18 points, and Anderson adding 11. Carter’s double-double was just the third against the Bears this season.The Flames (9-13, 1-10) finished 17-for-48 (.354) overall from the field, 10-of-27 (.370) from distance and 15-for-22 (.682) at the stripe.The victory pushed the Bears to 7-3 at Great Southern Bank Arena for the season and handed fifth-year head coach Dana Ford his 50th Valley victory.In the first half, the Bears built 29-21 lead after a drive and bucket from Mason with 4:15 to go before the intermission. But the Flames rallied after the under-four media timeout, splashing home three unanswered 3-pointers from Carter and Škobalj to give the visitors a 30-29 lead at the break.The Bears got 10 points and 4 assists from Mason in the opening stanza before going into the intermission on a 1-for-13 stretch.MoState returns to the road Saturday (1 p.m., MVC-TV Network) at Murray State ( 11-10, 6-5) before it returns home on Wednesday, Feb. 1 against Valparaiso at 7 p.m.
