The Missouri State basketball Bears put five people in double figures and tied a single game school record with 14 three-point field goals as they jumped ahead early and played long ball anytime UNC-Wilmington looked to make a charge to pull away to a 78-62 non-conference victory over the Seahawks Saturday night in Wilmington, N.C.
The Bruins won their fourth game in a row and hiked their season record to 8-1 as they scored their third win in the past five victories against a team from the 2006 NCAA tournament field. UNCW fell to 3-5 for the season and lost for only the 12th time in their last 91 home games.
Missouri State’s balance with five double-digit scorers featured treys from all five as the Bears sizzled from long range at .538 (14/26) with a three-point total that matched the school mark set in 1995 against Drake and tied in 1999 against Drake. Blake Ahearn sailed home five from long range to lead all scorers with 18 points. Nathan Bilyeu hit 10 free throws and one trey while collecting a team-high nine rebounds to go with his 15 points. Tyler Chaney hit four threes and added eight rebounds to 12 points, Dale Lamberth hit a pair of treys and finished with 11 points and Spencer Laurie had two treys among his 10 points while handing out six assists.
UNCW came into the game shooting just .299 from long range for the season and averaging 6.5 treys a contest and the Seahawks stayed in the game the first half by hitting 7-of-10 long ones while getting just three two-point baskets. The Seahawks cooled off from long range after halftime and became the sixth Bears’ opponent in the past seven games to shoot below 40 percent for a contest. UNCW finished at .339 (19/56) and got 13 points from Daniel Fountain.
A 7-0 Missouri State run forged a 20-10 lead 11 minutes into the game. The Bears went ahead by as many as 12 points but UNCW threes cut the MSU lead to 39-31 at the half. UNCW didn’t get a two-point goal until the game was 17 minutes old.
Four more long ones by the Bears at the start of the second half keyed a 21-8 run and a 60-39 lead with 13:11 to play. The Seahawks whittled their deficit to 13 at 68-55 with 6:44 left but Spencer Laurie and Ahearn drilled back-to-back long ones to stretch the margin back to 19.
Missouri State finished at .456 (26/57) overall from the field and enjoyed a 43-31 rebound margin in the contest.
The Bears take off next week for fall semester final exams and return to Hammons Student Center next Saturday (Dec. 16) to open Missouri Valley Conference play against the Indiana State Sycamores. Tipoff is 7:05 p.m.
