SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State shot better than 62 percent over the final 32 minutes Thursday evening to earn a resounding 97-51 victory against Evansville at JQH Arena in a game filled with superlatives.

The Lady Bears (18-10, 14-3 Missouri Valley Conference) picked up their sixth consecutive victory overall and seventh in a row at home, shooting 39-for-73 overall and 36-for-58 after trailing 8-7 midway through the first quarter.

Freshmen scored 13 of MSU's 18 first-quarter points, with Elle Ruffridge scoring the last five of a 7-0 run that gave the Lady Bears the lead for good and ended with her 3-pointer at the 1:41 mark for a 14-8 advantage.

Liza Fruendt poured in 21 points in the second quarter and 28 in the game on 12-of-15 shooting, and MSU led 49-35 at halftime before holding the Purple Aces (3-25, 0-17) to 16 second-half points.

Aubrey Buckley, Alexa Willard and Brice Calip all scored 11 points, while all 12 Lady Bears in uniform appeared in the scoring column. Buckley and Calip grabbed seven rebounds each, and MSU led 55-20 in that category. Fruendt dished out a season-high five assists, and the Lady Bears had 22 helpers in the game against three turnovers. 

MSU hosts Indiana State (11-17, 9-8) at 2 p.m. Saturday to close the regular season. Lady Bear seniors Buckley, Fruendt, Audrey Holt and Lee Ann Polowy will be honored prior to the game.

Game notes:
• The 46-point victory margin was MSU's largest since an 89-35 win over Southern Illinois on Feb. 21, 2004.
• MSU's 97 points are the most for the Lady Bears since scoring 104 in a Dec. 18, 2011 home win against Morgan State.
• The Lady Bears' three turnovers are the fewest on record at Missouri State, eclipsing the previous low of four set against UNI on March 12, 2006.
• MSU's plus-35 rebounding margin is the largest on record and the widest gap since a 68-38 showing versus Northern Kentucky on Dec. 1, 2012 at JQH Arena.
• MSU scored 60 points in the paint.
• Missouri State's 39 field goals were the most since the Lady Bears hit 39 against Indiana State in January 2001.
• Fruendt surpassed 1,600 career points and now sits four behind Tyonna Snow's career total of 1,611 for ninth in MSU history.
• Buckley reached double figures for the 11th in the last 14 games.