Feb. 25, 2012

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Anthony Downing has 10 points, and Missouri State has shot 63.2 percent from the field to lead Evansville 34-26 at the intermission here in the regular-season finale for both clubs.

A win for the Bears locks up the No. 3 seed for next week's State Farm MVC Tournament in St. Louis and secures a school-record nine road wins for MSU.

The Bears took control from the opening tip, using their 11th lineup this season to storm out of the gates to an 11-3 lead in the first 3:09 of the game.

MSU used a pair of three-pointers from Jarmar Gulley to set the pace in the early going and Downing kept pressure on with a pair of key field goals in the first 10 minutes to stretch three-point leads to five twice.

Evansville trimmed MSU's advantage to 17-15 at the 9:32 mark on a three-pointer by Denver Holmes, but MSU fired back with a layup from Keith Pickens and a three ball from Kyle Weems over the next minute to stretch the Bears' lead back to seven. Downing would later give MSU an eight-point lead with a three-pointer of his own with 8:16 to go.

Fouls were abundant in the first stanza with MSU picking up 13 and Evansville committing 10. The Bears, who are 12-for-19 from the field, have an uncharacteristic 14 turnovers in the early going. MSU is 4-for-7 (.571) from three-point range, 6-of-11 (.545) from the line and own a 21-12 rebounding lead.

Evansville which has 7 points apiece from Ned Cox and Troy Taylor, shot 10-for-31 (.323) from the field and just 2-for-8 (.250) from bonus distance. The Aces were also 4-of-6 (.667) at the line with 4 turnovers.

MSU got 6 rebounds from Keith Pickens and 4 assists from Downing in the early going as well.

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