SPRINGFIELD – After trailing by as many as a dozen in the second half, Missouri State rallied within one point of visiting Southeast Missouri State here Tuesday, but could not overtake the Redhawks who posted five players in double figures in the scoring column in a 78-74 decision.
Antonius Cleveland finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Redhawks (1-10), who snapped an 11-game losing streak with accurate shooting and pressure zone defense. Isiah Jones knocked down 5 3-pointers to finish with 17 points, and Joel Angus tallied 14 points and 6 rebounds for the winning side.
The Bears (4-8) were led by Dequon Miller’s 17 points, while freshman Jarred Dixon registered 15 off the bench, and Dorrian Williams added 10 points and a season-high 8 assists. MSU’s reserves outscored the visitors’ bench by a 30-9 margin.
MSU led briefly in the first two minutes of the game, but played from behind the rest of the night, tying the game twice before halftime. The Redhawks, however, counter-punched well, and had an answer for every Bears’ rally.
After a pair of free throws from Ryan Kreklow got Missouri State within 58-56 with 7:49 remaining, SEMO reeled off five unanswered points to push back ahead by seven – first on a putback by Cleveland and later on a trey by Jones.
With just over three minutes to go, Loomis Gerring snagged a steal for MSU and scored while being fouled to get the Bears within 68-66. He missed the ensuing foul shot, and Southeast responded with a mini 3-0 push to lead by five at the 3:01 mark.
Finally, with 1:14 to go, the Bears got arguably their most-impactful shot of the night on a bonus ball by Kreklow from the right corner. The 3-pointer hit the rim, then the top of the backboard and fell through to make it 74-73. MSU immediately fouled Jamaal Calvin who made 1-of-2 shots. But the Bears could not get to the rim to tie the game in their following possessions, instead going 1-for-3 at the foul line in the decisive final minute to fall to 3-3 at home on the season.
For its part, Southeast Missouri, just a 55-percent free throw shooting team through its first 10 games, made just enough free throws down the stretch to keep the Bears at bay. MSU was whistled for 8 fouls in the final three minutes with the Redhawks converting 6-of-14 from the stripe to win by a four-point margin.
Missouri State finished 26-for-63 (.413) from the field and set a season high with 28 3-point attempts, making just 6 (.214). The Bears converted 16-of-23 (.696) from the stripe, but went just 3-for-7 at the line in the final three minutes, 33 seconds.
The Bears out-rebounded the Redhawks by a 45-35 margin, but committed 16 turnovers against an aggressive zone defense.
SEMO scored 42 points in the paint, compared to 28 by MSU, and finished 29-for-60 (.483) from the field, 6-of-16 (.375) from long range and 14-for-29 (.483) at the line with 11 turnovers and an impressive 11 steals.
In the first half, the Bears led 6-5, but fought from behind the rest of the way, tying it twice. First, a transition layup by Miller with 6:19 to go, knotted the game at 25 apiece, and later a layup by Chris Kendrix with 5:30 remaining in the opening stanza made it 27-27. Southeast ended the half on a 13-6 run from there as the Redhawks matched their largest lead of the first half with a put-back before the horn by Tony Anderson to make it 40-33.
The Bears will break for the holidays before beginning Missouri Valley Conference play on Dec. 30 at Illinois State (7 p.m.).
— MSU Athletics —