SPRINGFIELD – Led by a career-high 34 points from Alston Mason, Missouri State dispatched visiting Lindenwood, 79-57, here Tuesday in the first-ever meeting between the in-state squads.
The Bears (8-4) also got 17 points and 12 rebounds from N.J. Benson for his third double-double of the season, while Chance Moore snagged a career-high and game-high 15 rebounds to go with 9 points.
Missouri State, which led by as many as 26 in the second half, shot 48.3 percent from the field and out-rebounded the Lions (5-7) by a 43-32 margin, leading to 11 second-chance points for the home club.
After taking an 18-point lead into the intermission, the Bears opened the second half on a 9-2 run in the opening two minutes to push ahead by 25. Benson accounted for five points in that span with Mason’s layup making it a 43-18 game with 18:17 to play.
The Lions responded with a 6-0 min-run, all by Keenon Cole, to trim their deficit to 19. The MSU lead teetered between 19 and 21 points for the next five minutes before the visitors rode the hot hand of Keith Haymon II for another 8-0 run. Haymon’s two triples in that run were Lindenwood’s only ones of the game, but they made it a 52-40 contest at the 9:45 mark.
But Mason put any doubts about the game’s outcome to rest moments later. He exploded for eight points and two assists to Benson over the next two minutes to push the MoState’s lead back to 20 with eight minutes to go.
Moore’s 3-pointer two minutes later ignited a 9-0 run by the Bears that included five more points from Mason and culminated in a 73-47 score heading into the final media timeout of the night.
The Bears finished 29-of-60 overall from the field, 8-for-29 (.276) from long range and 13-of-20 (.650) at the line with 12 assists and 12 turnovers. Mason led all players with 7 assists and 2 steals, while Benson rejected a pair of shots.
The victory pushed Missouri State to 5-0 at Great Southern Bank Arena this season.
Lindenwood was 19-of-60 (.317) from the field, including 2-for-16 (.125) from downtown and 17-of-22 (.773) at the foul line with 11 turnovers. Jaylon McDaniel led Lindenwood with 13 points, while Cole added 10 for the Lions.
The Bears fell behind in the early going with Lindenwood jumping out to a 6-0 lead in the first three minutes before the home club found its footing. An 18-2 MSU run followed to give the Bears a double-figure lead midway through the opening half.
MoState’s lead swelled to 15 after a 3-pointer by Moore at the 5:47 mark, and later a 7-0 run by the Bears stretched their advantage to 34-14 with a minute to go in the opening period. Mason posted 17 points in the opening 20 minutes with Moore and Benson combining for 17 rebounds.
The Bears close out their non-conference slate on Saturday at Saint Mary’s (7 p.m./ESPN+) before a brief holiday recess.
MoState returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 3 against Valley foe Northern Iowa at Great Southern Bank Arena for a rare 8 p.m. start for regional television.
