Oct. 27, 2011
Final Stats
FINAL STATS (PDF)
SPRINGFIELD - Seven Missouri State Bears scored nine points or better, and MSU rolled to a 99-68 men's basketball exhibition win here Thursday over Division II Truman State in Paul Lusk's debut as MSU head coach.
Kyle Weems, the preseason Missouri Valley Conference player of the year, notched a game-high 24 points, going 9-for-15 from the field with six assists and five steals. Nathan Scheer added 15 points for the Bears behind three three-pointers, while Jarmar Gulley scored 12, Caleb Patterson pumped in 11, and Isaiah Rhine collected 10 off the bench.
Missouri State finished with 10 three-pointers and forced 21 Bulldog turnovers in a game it never trailed.
The Bears led 47-22 at the half and eclipsed a 30-point advantage at the 12:49 mark on a put-back and one by Rhine that made it a 71-39 contest. Corbin Thomas, who scored nine off the bench, gave MSU its biggest lead of the night, 80-42, with 9:51 remaining on a close-range shot.
Truman State got 16 points from reserve Seth Jackson who was an efficient 7-for-11 from the field. Tom Norton scored 14 points behind four three-pointers, and Isaac Gardner notched 10.
Corey Copeland added nine points to a 32-point effort by the Missouri State bench, while Thomas and Christian Kirk collected six rebounds each, game highs. Michael Bizoukas matched Weems with a game-high six assists.
The Bears will be host another in-state Division II opponent Saturday at 7:05 p.m. when William Jewell comes calling in the team's second of three preseason exhibitions. MSU will also travel to Missouri Southern State University on Nov. 5 for the I-44 Challenge, an NCAA exempt fund-raising exhibition to benefit the Joplin tornado recovery efforts there.
For a complete list of MSU homecoming events and activities, please CLICK HERE.
For tickets to upcoming Bears games, please CLICK HERE, call(417) 836-7678 or stop by the Chevy Pickup Window at JQH Arena during regular office hours.
