SPRINGFIELD – Will Creekmore has a game-high 10 points in the first half, and the Missouri State Bears have shot 55.2 percent from the field to take a 43-28 lead into the intermission here against visiting Arkansas-Little Rock in non-conference play.
The Bears (4-2) have never trailed and own a 19-14 rebounding advantage.
Missouri State built its first double-digit lead at the 12:52 mark on a jumper by Kyle Weems who has eight first-half points. The Bears expanded their advantage to 17 on an Adam Leonard three-pointer with 6:22 on the clock, the team's only trey of the first period.
UALR (4-2) whittled the MSU lead to 41-28 in the final 68 seconds before a spinning layup by Nafis Ricks just before the horn put the MSU lead at 15 at the break.
Ricks also scored eight in the first half for the Bears, while Caleb Patterson and Jermaine Mallett added six apiece.
The Trojans were 11-for-28 (.393) in the first half with six points apiece by Dandre Williams and Daylon Guy.
