[wpbvideo id=”970520″]
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State had four players score in double figures, including a game-high 22 from Isiaih Mosley, to turn back visiting Valparaiso, 84-66, here Saturday, securing the Bears’ 10th conference victory of the season.
The Bears (19-8, 10-4 MVC) also got 15 points apiece from Gaige Prim, Ja’Monta Black and Jaylen Minnett. Donovan Clay snagged a game-high 11 rebounds and 5 assists to help the Bears to a 40-27 margin on the glass.
Missouri State also dropped in a dozen 3-pointers, including five apiece from Black and Minnett, the team’s most since Jan. 8.
The double-figure victory was not an easy one for the home side as they battled through some first-half foul trouble and Valpo’s 12-for-13 effort from the line in the opening stanza. But almost as soon as the second half started, MSU found another gear, taking less than four minutes to turn a five-point halftime lead into a 14-point advantage.
Missouri State’s 11-2 run to start the second half included two buckets apiece from Prim and Mosley along with a three from Black to make it a 52-38 game and force a Beacons’ timeout.
With just over 13 minutes to go, Minnett buried his third trey of the game to push the maroon side ahead, 59-44, but Valpo (11-14, 4-9 MVC) then mounted its biggest run of the afternoon. The Beacons went on an 8-0 surge over the next two minutes to trim their deficit to seven, but Eron Gordon’s layup at the 11:37 mark would be one of just two field goals by the visitors over the next 10 minutes.
The Bears then put the game on ice, using a 20-7 run over a key seven-minute stretch. Minnett knocked down two more triples, and Black scored his fifth trey of the day, while teammates Mosley, Lu’Cye Patterson and Prim combined to go 7-for-8 at the foul line and push MSU ahead, 79-59, with 3:25 remaining.
For the game, the Bears finished 29-of-57 (.509) from the field and 12-for-33 (.522) from 3-point range. MoState was also 14-for-15 (.933) from the line with 11 turnovers, 7 blocked shots and 16 assists.
Mosley was 8-for-11 from the field and 5-for-5 at the line, while Prim was 7-of-11 from the field with the Bears’ two All-Valley performers combining to score 68-percent of their field goal attempts.
Valparaiso was led by Ben Krikke’s 20 points and 6 rebounds. The Beacons also got 11 points apiece from Kobe King and Sheldon Edwards.
The visitors finished 19-for-55 (.345) from the field, including a 24-percent effort in the second half and converted just 3-of-12 (.250) from bonus distance. The Beacons did excel at the stripe, making 25-of-27 (.926) free throws with just 6 turnovers.
In the first half, a key 8-0 run powered by a pair of 3-pointers from Black ended a brief 16-15 lead for Valpo and gave the home side a seven-point advantage 13 minutes into the game. That lead would swell to 10 with three minutes to go in the half on a 3-point play by Mosley who registered a dozen points in the opening period. Krikke scored 16 of his 20 points in the first half for Valpo.
The Bears wrap up their two-game home stand on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Indiana State (11-14, 4-9 MVC) at JQH Arena. It will be the second-to-last home game of the season for Missouri State. Tickets for the Indiana State game are available at MissouriStateBears.com or by visiting the Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours.
