MORAGA, Calif. – Donovan Clay scored four points in the final nine seconds, including a pair of game-clinching free throws, to lift Missouri State to a 69-64 win over Saint Mary’s here Saturday in the Bears’ non-conference finale.
Missouri State (9-4) was led by Alston Mason’s 19 points, while Clay poured in 18, and Chance Moore added 16 in a complete-game effort on both ends of the floor.
Saint Mary’s (8-6) got 17 points from Augustus Marciulionis, while Aldan Mahaney scored 16 as the backcourt tandem combined to hit all seven of the Gaels’ threes.
The victory marked MSU’s first road victory of the campaign, and it was never easy as the visitors trailed with 3:44 to go. Mason and Clay teamed up down the stretch to provide the offensive spark MSU needed to make the comeback. Mason’s layup on a precision pass from Clay with 2:39 to go returned the lead to the Bears, 62-61, and MSU’s defense held the Gaels to two missed three-point shots on their next trip.
Mason was fouled at the 1:36 mark and made one-of-two from the line to give MSU a two-point lead. Then, after forcing Saint Mary’s into a turnover, the Bears pushed ahead by four on a spinning layup by Clay with 48 seconds to play.
Saint Mary’s responded with a three from Mahaney, his fourth of the game, to make it a one-point contest at the 37-second mark. Coming out of a Gaels’ timeout, the Bears worked the clock down inside 10 seconds where Mason passed to Clay for an elbow jumper to extend MoState’s lead to 67-64.
The Gaels’ Jordan Ross threw up an off-balance three on St. Mary’s final trip, and the Bears snagged the rebound with Clay corralling the miss and subsequently sealing the victory at the line moments later to secure the five-point win.
Saint Mary’s came into the game ranked No. 6 in the country in offensive rebounds per game (16.2), but the Bears held the home club to just 9 offensive caroms. SMC out-rebounded the Bears overall, 32-30, but MSU notched 13 second-chance points on the night to just two by the Gaels.
After trailing by one at the half, Mason hit a three to give the Bears a two-point lead right out of the intermission. But Saint Mary’s responded with an 8-0 run that included four free throws. The Bears whittled away until the 13:14 mark when Clay and Moore ignited a 6-0 charge from the visitors that returned the lead to the Bears, 45-44.
Mason would then keep the Bears close over the next 11 minutes, tying the game twice and giving MoState two leads down the stretch, including the decisive layup at the 2:39 mark.
Also contributing to the high-level road victory were Damien Mayo Jr., whose 8 points in the first half kept things close, Raphe Ayres who had a team-high 6 rebounds and a clutch second-half three, and Cesare Edwards who snagged 4 rebounds.
For the game, the Bears finished 24-of-54 (.444) overall, 7-of-16 (.438) from long range and 14-of-18 (.778) at the line with 14 assists and 8 turnovers. Mason had 7 assists and was 7-of-9 at the line, while N.J. Benson was credited with two blocks.
Saint Mary’s was 23-of-53 (.434) from the field, 7-of-20 (.350) from long range and 11-of-13 (.846) at the stripe with a 32-30 rebounding edge and 12 turnovers.
In the first half, Saint Mary’s made 8 of its first 9 shots as used a 12-2 run to lead 20-9 just over eight minutes into the game. But the Bears steadied the ship after the under-12 media timeout with Moore, Mayo and Edwards igniting a 9-0 response from the visitors. Edwards’ trey at the 7:30 mark made it a 22-20 game.
Missouri State capitalized on a three-point possession late in the half as Alex Ducas picked up his third personal foul and then a technical on the same play with 1:07 to go, which put him on the bench most of the remainder of the game. Moore and Clay combined for three free throws to make it a 32-31, and the MSU defense held strong down the stretch to make it a one-point contest at the midway point.
With their non-conference slate behind them, the Bears will now focus on the resumption of Missouri Valley Conference play in the new year.
MoState returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 3 against Northern Iowa at Great Southern Bank Arena for a rare 8 p.m. start for regional television.
