The Missouri State basketball Bears turned in a dominating second-half performance Saturday evening to earn their 15th Price Cutter Classic crown in the 21-year history of the event with a decisive 79-52 victory over the University of North Carolina Greensboro at Hammons Student Center. MSU seniors Deven Mitchell, Dale Lamberth and Drew Richards each earned a spot on the all-tournament team by combining to score 58 points in the win over the Spartans.
Missouri State shot 62.5 percent (20-of-32) from the field, including 6-of-11 from three-point range, in the second half and scored 17 unanswered points over a seven-minute period to take control of a tightly-contested game. Leading just 31-28 after UNCG’s Kevin Oleksiak drained a three-pointer 15 seconds in to the second half, MSU’s senior trio of Mitchell, Lamberth and Richards scored the Bears’ next 15 points to turn the tide in the home team’s favor.
From that point the Bears never looked back, pushing their lead to as many as 30 points, while holding UNCG to just 10-of-33 shooting from the field in the second half.
Just one night after posting a new career scoring high with 24 points in an 86-67 first-round win over Harding, Mitchell matched that effort Saturday by hitting 10-of-13 field-goal attempts against the Spartans. He also grabbed 10 boards to lead all rebounders for the second night in a row and ran away with tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
The Bears led 31-25 at intermission after a back-and-forth first half, as Mitchell and Lamberth carried the offensive load, combining for 19 points. MSU took the lead for good on Richards’ layup that broke a 17-17 deadlock with 7:21 remaining in the period. Mitchell totaled six of his 10 points in the half over the next seven minutes to stake the Bears to their halftime lead.
Lamberth nearly equaled his career-high of 21 points, also set in Friday’s win over Harding. The Oklahoma City product finished with 20 points on 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.
Richards, who matched the tournament record of six blocks in Friday night’s victory, was a perfect 7-of-7 from the field Saturday. The Rogersville, Mo., native finished with 14 points and five rebounds to garner All-Price Cutter Classic honors for the second time in his MSU career.
Sophomore guard Justin Fuehrmeyer sparked the Bears offense with a career-best 12-assist night while committing just one turnover, while senior guard Spencer Laurie had nine assists and only two turnovers.
UNC Greensboro’s Kyle Hines led the Spartans with 12 points and became the school’s all-time leading scorer (1,646) with his final basket of the night with 2:33 left to play. Hines and guard Paul Stoll of Texas-Pan American rounded out the five-man all-tournament team.
The Bears finished the night (.552) 32-of-58 from the floor and their 27 assists as a team matched a two-year high, dating back to a 101-55 win over Georgia Southern in the 2005 Price Cutter Classic.
Next up, Missouri State (2-1) will host Saint Louis University Wednesday (Nov. 21) evening in a 7:05 p.m. contest.
