Box Score | Season Stats | Tickets for UNI Game |
 
VALPARAISO, Ind. – Missouri State used a 13-0 outburst midway through the opening half to set a blistering pace and never looked back in a 67-50 win here Sunday over Valparaiso in Missouri Valley Conference play.
 
It was Valparaiso's first home game as a member of the MVC.
 
The Bears (12-3, 2-0 MVC) were led by Jarrid Rhodes with 15 points, while Alize Johnson notched his ninth double-double of the campaign with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Obediah Church and Jarred Dixon added 10 points apiece for MSU.  Bears' head coach Paul Lusk picked up his 100th victory at MSU, making him just the seventh in program history to hit the century mark.
 
Valparaiso (9-6, 0-2) shot just 34.8 percent from the field and turned the ball over 16 times thanks in part to solid defense from the Bears.
 
After Rhodes forced a Crusaders timeout with back-to-back 3-pointers to push MSU ahead 17-11, Valparaiso climbed back within 17-15 at the midway point of the opening half, But the Bears responded with 13 unanswered points over the next six minutes to lead 30-15.
 
The home club would get no closer than 12 the rest of the game.
 
Missouri State built its biggest lead midway through the second stanza with a 3-pointer by J.T. Miller than made it 56-29 with 10:06 to play. The Bears held serve from there until both teams cleared their benches in the final three minutes.
 
A buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Valparaiso's Max Joseph made the final margin 17. Joseph led the Crusaders with 13 points.
 
Rhodes was 5-of-9 from long range for the Bears, matching a career high from long distance, while MSU's 40-31 rebounding advantage was the club's 14^th in 15 games.
 
Church added 4 blocked shots for the Bears, while Reggie Scurry added 9 points and 6 rebounds off the bench for the Bears who picked up their sixth win away from home.
 
For the game, Missouri State was 23-of-59 (.390) overall, 8-of-28 (.286) from downtown and 13-of-15 (.867) at the line with just 9 turnovers.
 
MSU held Valpo to 16-of-46 (.348) overall and 5-of-19 (.263) from long range. The Crusaders were 13-of-20 (.650) from the stripe with 20 points in the paint.

Missouri State returns to JQH Arena on Thursday to take on Northern Iowa at 8 p.m. The national telecast on CBS Sports Net also features the $5 bleacher ticket deal.
 
Tickets for the UNI game are on sale now at MissouriStateBears.com or at the Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena -- (417) 836-7678 – during regular box office hours.