SPRINGFIELD -- Freshmen scored more than half of Missouri State's points and the defense nabbed 20 steals and forced 31 Central Methodist turnovers Tuesday evening as the Lady Bears topped the Eagles by an 83-32 final in the season's first exhibition basketball contest at JQH Arena.

MSU rookies combined for 42 points and junior Tyonna Snow led all players with 19 as the Lady Bears limited a CMU club that lost by just 15 points at Washington State on Nov. 2 to 23.7 percent shooting while scoring 32 points off turnovers. Central Methodist's 32 points were the fewest scored against the Lady Bears in any game - regular-season or exhibition - since 1992.

The Lady Bears trailed 5-2 just over a minute into the contest before going on a 25-2 run over the next 11 minutes to lead 27-7 on a Kenzie Williams 3-pointer with 7:49 to go in the first half. Freshman Lee Ann Polowy hit a trey at the 4:21 mark and made another jumper 68 seconds later for a 34-13 advantage, and classmate Liza Fruendt scored to cap a 10-0 run with a 38-13 lead and 1:55 remaining. The teams traded baskets to the 40-15 halftime score.

Polowy hit 3-pointers on either end of a 13-0 run that ended with the Lady Bears leading 61-23 with 10 minutes left in the contest as the Eagles went without a point for over five minutes, and Missouri State used another 13-0 run to go ahead 79-29 with 1:55 to play.

Fruendt led the MSU freshmen with 14 points on the night while Polowy added 11, Audrey Holt had 8, Aubrey Buckley scored 6 and Kori Farmer had 3. Holt led MSU with 9 rebounds, including 7 on the offensive glass, while Snow and Rachel Swartz grabbed 8 apiece as the Lady Bears held a 53-40 advantage on the glass. Snow also swiped 5 steals.

Missouri State concludes exhibition play Sunday at 2:05 p.m. against Southwest Baptist. The SBU game will air on KTXR 101.3 FM in Springfield, and tickets in non-assessed areas are $4 for adults and $2 for children as part of Missouri State's Tribute to America's Heroes promotion in celebration of Veteran's Day.