SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State (6-5) got a game-high 19 points from Michael Osei-Bonsu in his return to action, while the home-standing Bears held off a late surge from visiting Lindenwood to capture a 70-65 victory here Tuesday.
 
The Bears also got 14 points and 8 rebounds from Keith Palek III who logged his 70^th career double-figure scoring effort, while Kobi Williams dropped in a dozen points with 8 boards.
 
Lindenwood (8-5) was led by Jadis Jones' 16 points, while Dontrez Williams scored 15. Anias Futrell tallied a game-high 15 rebounds for the Lions who shot 45.2 percent in the second half.
 
Missouri State extended a 12-point halftime advantage to 15 within the opening minute of the second stanza on Williams first of three triples. A minute later, the Lions responded with an 11-3 surge to climb back within 42-38 at the 15-minute mark.
 
The Bears were able to answer every Lindenwood run over the next 10 minutes with a Trey Williams Jr. bucket at the 5:49 mark giving the home club a 63-51 advantage. Palek scored 8 points, and Osei-Bonsu -- who missed the last three games with an injury -- scored 6 during the 21-13 scoring stretch through the middle part of the game.
 
After Trey Williams' score, Lindenwood reeled off 10 unanswered points over three-minute stretch to get the game within 63-61 at the 2:51 mark. Dontrez Williams pitched in a half dozen points for Lindenwood in that run, including four from the line.
 
But the Bears steadied the ship on a driving layup by Zaxton King at the 2:32 mark and then got a game-clinching triple from Kobi Williams from the right wing with 47 ticks remaining to stretch MSU's lead to 68-64.
 
Williams was also instrumental later in the game's final minute, gathering in a huge offensive rebound with 17.1 seconds to go to extend a key possession, while King sealed it with two free throws at the 15.6-second mark.
 
The Bears out-rebounded Lindenwood by a 44-41 margin and racked up 40 points in the paint and 17 second-chance points from 13 offensive caroms. MoState finished 26-of-62 (.419) overall, 6-for-27 (.222) from distance and 12-for-23 (.522) at the line with 11 assists.
 
The visitors from the Ohio Valley Conference were 22-of-59 (.373) overall from the field, 3-for-22 (.136) from downtown and 18-for-31 (.581) at the free throw line with 17 fast-break points and 6 blocks.
 
In the first half, the Bears used a 16-3 run over an eight-minute stretch to flip a three-point deficit into a 10-point lead. Osei-Bonsu's layup at the 3:21 mark pushed the home side up 27-17.
 
Later, Melachi Cunningham's buzzer-beating layup on a pass from Osei-Bonsu just before the intermission gave the Bears their biggest lead of the stanza, 34-22.
 
The Bears now prepare for their inaugural season in Conference USA with a Dec. 29 league-opener at Delaware (1 p.m. CT) before returning to Great Southern Bank Arena on Friday, Jan. 2 to take on UTEP at 7 p.m.
 
Tickets for the UTEP game, and all remaining home games, can be purchased at MissouriStateBears.com/tickets or by visiting the Athletics Box Office at Great Southern Bank Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours.
 
A complete list of season promotions and ticket specials is also available at MissouriStateBears.com/promotions.