SPRINGFIELD — The Missouri State Lady Bears set JQH Arena records for points, field goals and field goal percentage against Valparaiso on Sunday, extending their winning streak to 10 games overall and 14 in Missouri Valley Conference play with a 108-63 victory against the Crusaders.
With dozens of former players, coaches and other MSU women’s basketball alumni in attendance, the Lady Bears (11-7, 7-0 MVC) tied their longest winning streak under Kellie Harper by scoring the fourth-most points in school history and most ever in MVC play, and shooting 64.1 percent (41/64) from the field for the 10th-best mark in school history and highest since 2003. The 41 field goals tied for the fifth-best total at Missouri State.
All 13 players in uniform scored, led by Sydney Manning’s career-high 14 points, with Sydney Wilson (12), Danielle Gitzen (12), Jasmine Franklin(10) and Brice Calip (10) joining her in double figures. Franklin and Wilson grabbed 10 rebounds each for double-doubles, and Calip matched a career high with seven assists and no turnovers. Freshmen accounted for 52 points and 33 rebounds.
The Lady Bears used runs of 20-2 and 19-0 to build a 50-19 lead late in the first half, and never let up after intermission, growing the lead to 40 points after three periods before peaking at the final margin. Missouri State completed its first unbeaten month since February 2012, during the Lady Bears’ last MVC regular season title run.
Dariauna Lewis (9), Sydney Schultz (6) and Bri Ellis (6) also posted career high scoring totals, and the Lady Bears handed out 21 assists against nine turnovers. MSU scored 54 points in the paint and got 62 points from the bench, and owned a 48-22 rebounding edge, the 10th-largest margin in school history.
Valpo (5-14, 1-6) tied a JQH Arena opponent record with 13 3-pointers on a record 40 attempts.
