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SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State's Damien Mayo Jr. posted his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds to help lead the Bears to a senior day victory over visiting UIC here Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
 
The Bears (16-15, 8-12 MVC) also got 12 points from Cesare Edwards, all in the second half, with Matthew Lee pitching in a dozen points. Likewise, Chance Moore poured in 11 points for MoState with senior Donovan Clay finishing with 8 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and 4 assists in his final home contest.
 
Toby Okani led four UIC players in double-figures with 14 points. The Flames (11-20, 4-16) also got 12 points apiece from Filip Skobalj and Isaiah Rivers.
 
Missouri State out-rebounded its visitors by a 50-30 margin and accounted for 14 second-chance points on 18 offensive caroms. MSU also racked up a season-high 44 points from its reserves on the afternoon.
 
After leading by five at the intermission, the Bears saw their advantage slip away thanks to a 7-0 run by UIC to start the second half. Lee's 3-pointer returned the lead to the home side with 16:06 to play, and the Bears would never trail again.
 
Coming out of the under-16 media timeout, Mayo's layup ignited a key 8-0 run for the Bears with Moore hitting four free throws, and Edwards scoring on a hook shot to make it 47-38 at the 13:34 mark.
 
Edwards accounted for every Bears' field goal during a key five-minute stretch midway through the final stanza while the Flames inched closer thanks to threes from Skobalj and Rivers. Rivers' triple with just over nine minutes to go made it a two-point contest with just over nine minutes remaining.
 
Down the stretch, Missouri State put things on ice with Clay's second-chance bucket kicking off an 8-2 surge. Mason's only bucket of the game was also part of the run with Edwards scoring a jumper and a dunk that made it 65-56 with 3:39 to go.
 
A Clay finish with just under two minutes remaining put the Bears up by double figures for the first time, 69-59, which turned out to be the game's final points.
 
Edwards was 5-for-5 from the field and 2-of-2 at the line in just under 13 minutes off the bench, while Benson was 4-for-6 with three dunks. Clay, Lee and Mason each distributed 4 assists to the winning effort.
 
Clay and fellow senior Dawson Carper were recognized in pregame ceremonies. Carper, who earned the start in his 50th appearance as a Bear, had 2 points, 2 rebounds and a steal in 11 minutes of action.
 
As a team, MoState was 26-of-66 (.394) overall, 5-of-17 (.294) from three and 12-of-17 (.706) at the line with 15 assists and 5 blocks.
 
UIC was 20-of-56 (.357) from the field, 8-for-27 (.296) from long range and 11-for-17 (.647) at the line with 17 points off turnovers and 7 steals.
 
In the opening half, the Bears endured three quick treys by the visitors in the first couple minutes of the game before taking the lead on a pair of baseline jumpers by Lee after the under-eight media timeout.
 
UIC would tie the game, 25-25, on a drive and bucket by Rivera with 4:49 to go in the half, but the Bears got a three from Raphe Ayres, Benson's third dunk of the half, and six straight MSU points from Mayo to end the half with their biggest lead of the opening period, 36-31.
 
The Bears will now prepare for Arch Madness in St. Louis next week as they square off with either Murray State or Illinois State in the 8-9 game on Thursday (March 7) at 12 Noon at Enterprise Center. For tickets, hotels and other tournament information, check out ArchMadness.com.