EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Behind career-highs 22 points from N.J. Benson and 14 from Raphe Ayres, Missouri State dominated the second half to help the Bears roll to a 74-64 road MVC win here Saturday.
Benson also notched his fourth double-double of the season, snagging 13 rebounds, while adding three blocked shots. Ayres drained a career-best four 3-pointers – three in the second half.
The Bears (10-7, 2-4 MVC) also got 18 points from Alston Mason and 14 from Donovan Clay to secure their second road win in three tries and snap a three-game losing streak overall.
After finishing the first half on a 6-2 run to lead 36-35 at the midway point, the Bears scored the first six points of the second half to push ahead by seven for the first time, 42-35.
Evansville’s Joshua Hughes ended the MSU run with his third of seven 3-pointers on the night to trim the UE deficit to four. But Mason then erupted for seven straight points for the visitors that ultimately gave the Bears a 49-40 lead with 14 minutes to go.
UE clipped the Missouri State lead to six before Benson stepped up. He scored the Bears’ next three field goals, all on alley-oop dunks, to stretch MSU’s advantage to double figures, 55-45, with 12 minutes to go.
At the 11:23 mark, Ayres knocked down his first triple of the second half ahead of a free throw by Donovan Clay that made it 59-45 with just under 11 minutes remaining. Not to go down without a fight, the Aces responded with back-to-back threes to make it 59-51, but Ayres scored MSU’s next eight points to calm the waters. After his two triples and a pair of free throws, Mason added a jumper to make it 69-53 with 3:32 to play.
Hughes led Evansville’s last charge, burying two more treys, including a rare four-point play, before two free throws by Antonio Thomas as part of an 9-0 outburst to make it a 69-62 contest.
Over the final two minutes, Matthew Lee hit a pair of free throws, Benson threw down another dunk and a foul shot to put the double-figure road win on ice.
The Bears finished 26-of-56 (.464) from the field, 7-of-22 (.318) from long range and 15-of-23 (.652) at the stripe with a 42-36 rebounding advantage and just seven turnovers.
Mason and Lee added 5 assists apiece for Missouri State. Benson was 10-of-14
Evansville was led by 22 points from Hughes on 7-of-10 threes, while Thomas scored 15. The Aces finished 21-of-62 (.339) overall, 12-for-27 (.444), and 10-of-15 (.667) at the line with nine turnovers.
The Bears remain on the road Tuesday when they take on Valley co-leader Indiana State (14-3, 5-1 MVC) at 6 p.m. on Bally Sports from the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind.
MSU returns to Great Southern Bank Arena on January 20 to play Illinois State at 1 p.m. Tickets for the Illinois State game are available at MissouriStateBears.com or by visiting the Great Southern Bank Box Office, (417) 836-7678, during regular business hours.
