DES MOINES, Iowa – Missouri State led the entire second half only to see Drake get two game-tying free throws with 9.5 seconds left to force overtime here Sunday in the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season finale. The Bulldogs then held the visiting Bears without a field goal in the extra period to escape with a 68-60 decision.
The MVC regular champions were led by Bennett Stirtz whose game-high 23 points included the first bucket of overtime, which proved to be the winner. Tavjon Banks was also in double figures for Drake (27-3, 17-3 MVC) with 14 points.
Missouri State, which played its fifth overtime game of the season, got 17 points apiece from Dez White and Vincent Brady II. The Bears (9-22, 2-18) made 10 3-pointers with Brady and White contributing four apiece.
After trailing by one at the half, the Bears opened up the second period on an 8-0 run and held off three Drake ties to regain the lead each time until the final minute. With 22.8 seconds left and holding a narrow one-point lead, the Bears got to the free throw line in the form of Dez White. White made the front end of the one-and-one, to extend the lead to two, but missed the second one.
Drake then got the ball to Stirtz who missed a 3-pointer, but Banks snagged the offensive rebound for the home side and was sent to the line for two shots for a chance to knot the score inside 10 seconds to play.
With the game tied, MSU’s potential game-winner from White was off its mark to force the extra period.
The Bears finished 0-for-5 from the field in overtime, with Brady’s free throw with 8.3 seconds left giving the Bears their only point in a 9-1 Bulldog overtime.
For the game, Missouri State was 20-for-49 (.408) overall from the field, 10-of-19 (.526) from three and 10-of-14 (.714) at the line with 13 assists.
Drake was 24-of-53 (.453) from the field, 6-of-21 (.286) from distance and 14-for-18 (.778) at the line with a 37-25 rebounding advantage and 13 offensive caroms leading to 15 critical second-chance points.
In the opening half, a back-cut bucket from Bennett Stirtz in the final minute gave the Bulldogs a 29-28 advantage at the midway point. His bucket erased a MoState lead that materialized after Dez White’s third triple of the half moments earlier.
The first half featured 10 lead changes with Drake shooting 52.4 percent from the field, and the Bears forcing 6 turnovers and burying 6-of-10 buckets from beyond the arc.
The Bears open the 2025 MVC Men’s Basketball Championship on Thursday (March 6) with a 2:30 p.m. tip against No. 5 seed Illinois State at Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
