SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State shot 50 percent from the field and overcame a 15-point deficit to force overtime here Saturday, but visiting Drake made four of its five field goal attempts in extra time to slip away with a 69-62 decision.
Missouri State got career-highs 24 points and 13 rebounds from Michael Osei-Bonsu for his fourth double-double of the season as he converted 10-of-16 shots, dished out three assists and blocked a pair of shots. Meanwhile, Vincent Brady II added 14 points for the home side, including four treys and a game-high four assists.
Osei-Bonsu’s layup with 12 seconds left in regulation tied things up, 55-55, and forced the Bears into overtime for the fourth time this season.
The comeback featured MSU’s best defensive half of the season, holding Drake to 26.1 percent in the second half (6-of-23) and 20 points total.
The Bulldogs (18-2, 8-2 MVC) opened the extra period with six unanswered points in the first two minutes to gain the early advantage. Osei-Bonsu’s bucket made it a four-point game, but Bennett Stirtz scored the next four for DU to make it 65-57 with 1:47 remaining left in overtime.
Missouri State’s big man buried another close-range bucket with 92 seconds to go, which brought the Bears back within six. But when Tavion Banks’ trucked through an MSU defender at the one-minute mark for an easy score, the home club couldn’t overcome the margin to lose by seven.
Stirtz led Drake with 18 points, while Mitch Mascari tallied 13, including 10 in the opening half, for the visitors.
The overtime result seemed like a long shot late in the first half with Stirtz’s 3-pointer with 3:35 to go in the opening stanza making it a 29-14 game. Thanks to Chase Martin’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer and push shot in the final minute, MoState ended the period on a 5-0 run to stay within 35-25 at the intermission.
It took the Bears nine minutes into the second half to get back in it with Dez White hitting a pair of threes and Brady splashing home another one before the first media timeout. Later, White’s 19-footer got the Bears within 44-38 before Drake’s Nate Ferguson’s bucket pushed the visitors ahead by eight points.
Osei-Bonsu then ignited a 10-0 Missouri State run to bring the Great Southern Bank Arean faithful back to life. A dunk-back by and layup from him preceded back-to-back Brady triples to give the Bears a 48-46 lead with 6:39 left in regulation. He scored MSU’s next five points and took the Bears into the five-minute mark with a 53-49 lead.
Drake reeled off the game’s next six points, including a free throw from Stirtz with 31.8 seconds left that pushed the Bulldogs ahead by two. On Missouri State’s final possession of regulation, Martin’s three from the right wing was partially blocked, but Osei-Bonsu corralled the carom and put it off the glass to tie things up, 55-55. The Bears got a defensive stop on Drake’s ensuing shot, and Martin’s desperation heave at the end of regulation was just off its mark.
Missouri State shot 50 percent from the field for the second game in a row and 40 percent from three for the third straight game. The Bears finished 24-of-48 (.500) overall, 8-for-20 (.400) from distance and 6-of-12 (.500) at the stripe with a 29-28 rebounding advantage and an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers.
The Bears’ ninth straight setback in league play was certainly not without its shining moments with MSU matching Drake, 26-26, in points in the paint while accounting for a dozen second-chance points off 10 offensive rebounds.
Drake finished 22-for-51 (.431) overall, 6-of-16 (.375) from downtown and 19-for-24 (.792) from the charity stripe with 11 steals.
After a mid-week game at Indiana State on Wednesday (6 p.m. Central), the Bears return to Great Southern Bank Arena on Saturday, Feb. 1 to square off with Murray State at 2:00 p.m.
