Dec. 22, 2014 Final Stats
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SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State's defense held visiting Oral Roberts to just four second-half field goals and 32 percent shooting for the game in a 52-45 Bears' non-conference win here Monday, avenging last week's 19-point loss to the Golden Eagles in Tulsa.
The Bears (6-6) got 16 points from Marcus Marshall and 10 from Loomis Gerring, while Tyler McCullough snagged a game-high 7 rebounds in his return to the starting lineup.
Oral Roberts (4-7), which was held to just 14 points in the second half, got 12 points apiece from Obi Emegano and Bobby Word for the game.
After falling behind by 10 in the first half, the Bears stepped up their defense when it counted, forcing ORU into missing its final four field goal attempts of the first half and 23 of its last 27 on the night. Scott Sutton's squad was just 4-for-23 (.174) in the second half and finished 16-for-50 overall.
"It all starts and ends with the defense," said MSU head coach Paul Lusk. "We focused on that at practice yesterday, and our players responded. They didn't push back. This is the kind of game that prepares you for Valley play."
It didn't take Missouri State long to close its double-figure deficit within striking distance as McCullough scored the first two baskets of the second half, before Marshall knocked down a 3-pointer in transition, and Dorrian Williams kissed a jumper off the glass to make it a 33-31 game less than five minutes into the second period.
The Bears wouldn't tie the game until the 10:29 mark when Gavin Thurman drove to the bucket for an easy layup, and finally snagged their first lead of the game on a pair of free throws by Loomis Gerring with 4:44 to go.
With Missouri State's defense grinding, however, ORU went without a field goal for the final 10 minutes of the game, missing its final 11 shots. The Golden Eagles only managed six points from the line on nine attempts in that span.
Still, MSU had to scrape down the stretch to seal the win, as a jumper by Marshall and a hook shot by Boone both pushed the Bears ahead by three down the stretch. Finally a two-handed dunk by Boone on a great open-court pass from Dorrian Williams put the game out of reach with 33 seconds to go.
The Bears out-rebounded ORU, 36-35, and committed just 8 turnovers in a physical, defensive game.
MSU finished just 19-for-52 (.365) from the field overall, but convert 46 percent in the second half. From long range, the Bears struggled with 1-of-10 (.100) from the perimeter.
Missouri State secured its sixth-straight game shooting 80-percent or better at the foul line by converting 13-of-16 (.813) at the stripe on a night when Marshall's consecutive free throw streak ended at 29.
ORU was 3-of-17 (.176) from bonus distance and 10-of-15 (.667) at the line with 11 turnovers.
In the first half, the Bears got 12 of their 21 points from the bench, including 9 by Christian Kirk, as they fell behind by 10 at the intermission.
MSU was just 8-for-28 (.286) from the field and had the misfortune of a controversial block-charge call go against them with 2:30 left in the opening period that gave ORU a 10-point advantage instead of having an opportunity to close within five before the break.
Neither team scored from there, and ORU used its 21-16 rebounding advantage and 44-percent first-half shooting to lead 31-21 at the midway point.
The Bears will now be off nine days until beginning conference play at Southern Illinois on Dec. 31 at 5:05 p.m., in a game that will be televised on KOLR-10 and the Missouri State Television Network. MSU's first home league game will be Saturday, Jan. 3 at 3 p.m. against Drake.
Tickets for the Drake game are available now at MissouriStateBears.com or during regular box office hours at the Missouri State Athletics Box Office in JQH Arena or by calling (417) 836-7678.
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