Nov. 14, 2014 Final Stats
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SPRINGFIELD - Marcus Marshall scored 38 points - the most by a Missouri State player since 1979 - to help the Bears to a 64-53 win over visiting Eastern Illinois here Friday in the season opener for both clubs.
The Bears closed out the game on a 24-4 run over the final 11-and-a-half minutes, led by Marshall who scored 15 points in that span. The junior finished 12-for-16 from the field, including a career-best six 3-pointers and made all 8 of his free throw attempts.
Chris Olivier led all Eastern Illinois players with 16 points, despite being held to just 2 points in the second half.
After trailing 18-7 with 7 minutes, 41 seconds left in the opening half, the Bears drew within 29-27 at the intermission and closed the gap to 34-33 on a 16-foot jumper by Christian Kirk less than three minutes into the final period.
Jay Spoonhour's Panthers then rallied with a 10-2 run over the next three minutes behind a pair of 3-pointers to push ahead 44-35, and held that margin through the under-12 media timeout.
But the game belonged to Missouri State from there as Kirk and Austin Ruder knocked home free throws, and Marshall dropped in a 3-pointer to pull within 49-46. Ruder later kept the rally going with a bank shot jumper that made it a one-point game and forced an EIU timeout. With 6:43 to play, Kirk drove to the bucket and scored off the glass to cap the 8-0 run and give the Bears their first lead of the night, 50-49.
The Panthers took the lead again briefly on a pair of free throws by Reggie Smith, but MSU held the visitors without a field goal for the next five minutes while Marshall went to work. The junior guard registered 12 points in the final six minutes, including all 7 free throws in that span, to put the game on ice. The Bears' defense locked down the Panthers' attack as well, holding EIU to just 1-for-4 from the field in the game's last five minutes.
Newcomer Camyn Boone tallied a game-high 9 rebounds for Missouri State, including 4 on the offensive end, while Kirk posted 8 points and 6 boards off the bench, and Dorrian Williams tacked on 4 assists.
Marshall's scoring exploits were just one shy of Doug McDermott's JQH Arena record of 39, but the most points by a Missouri State player in any game since Mike Robinson dropped 39 points on Missouri S&T on Feb. 26, 1979.
After a slow start, the Bears finished at 46.5 percent (20-for-43) from the field, 6-for-12 from long range, and 18-for-25 (.720) at the. MSU was out-rebounded by a narrow 28-27 margin and committed just 9 turnovers.
The Panthers finished 21-for-51 (.412) overall and 6-for-17 (.353) from bonus distance. EIU made all five of its free throw attempts and committed 14 turnovers, including 9 in the second half.
In the first half, The Bears caught fire in the final three minutes of the opening stanza to nearly erase an 11-point deficit by the break. Marshall fired home 12 of his 18 first-half points in the final 3:13 of the opening period to close MSU's early gap to 29-27 at the midway point.
Behind Marshall and Loomis Gerring, the Bears hit six straight shots to end the half and overcome a 3-for-17 start from the field. Meanwhile Olivier helped lead the charge for the visitors, scoring on 7 of his 9 attempts to keep Missouri State at arm's reach through most of the half.
The Bears close out their two-game home stand on Wednesday at 7:05 against Avila University, coached by former MSU standout Rodney Perry. Tickets for the Avila game are available now at MissouriStateBears.com/tickets or by visiting the Missouri State Athletics Box Office at JQH Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours.
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