LAS CRUCES, N.M. --- Missouri State's Keith Palek scored 26 points and made 12-of-14 free throws to help lift the visiting Bears past New Mexico State, 84-75, here Thursday in Conference USA play.
 
The Bears (11-8, 5-3 CUSA) also got 21 points and a game-high 9 rebounds from Michael Osei-Bonsu, while Kobi Williams pitched in 13 points in the winning cause.
 
With the victory, MSU secured the season sweep over the Aggies (10-8, 3-5 CUSA) and picked up its second CUSA road win of the campaign.
 
With the game tied, 64-64, with less than seven minutes to play, Tyrique Brooks began the Missouri State march to victory, converting a traditional three-point play to push the visitors up by three. Kobi Williams gave the Bears a six-point lead with his third triple of the game at the five-minute mark, and then Palek helped break the Aggies' backs with his second three of the game to make it 74-66 with just under four minutes to go.
 
A minute later, Antwan Burnett pushed the Bears ahead by double figures with a clutch three to make it 77-67. Down the stretch, Burnett converted a key layup, and Palek teamed up with Trey Williams Jr. to make 5-of-6 charity shots in the final two minutes to secure the win.
 
After trailing by as many as six in the second half, Missouri State outscored New Mexico State, 20-11, in the game's final six-and-a-half minutes of the game.
 
Palek finished 6-for-11 from the field with 6 rebounds and 3 assists in securing his fourth straight 20-point game and 10th of the season. Osei-Bonsu's 20-point effort was his sixth of the season and third in a five-game stretch.
 
For the game, the Bears finished 27-of-53 (.509) from the field, 8-of-23 (.348) from three and an impressive 22-of-27 (.815) at the line with a 41-27 rebounding advantage, 12 assists and 11 turnovers. It was MoState's fourth game of the season shooting better than 50 percent from the field but first on the road.

NMSU finished 27-of-62 (.435) overall from the field, 6-of-23 (.261) from three and 15-for-20 (.750) at the line with 10 assists and just 5 turnovers.

In the first half, the Bears sprinted out to a 23-6 lead in the opening 12 minutes and held that 17-point advantage after a Palek leaner off the glass with 6:23 left in the opening stanza made it 27-10.
 
But NMSU's Jemel Jones then took the momentum back for the home side, reeling off 12 of his team's points in a 14-0 Aggies run over the five minutes that whittled the Bears' lead to three. Jones racked up 17 points in the first half and finished with a game-high 28 points.
 
Osei-Bonsu and Palek got the Bears back on track in the final 90 seconds with three points apiece in that span, but Jones' 3-pointer just before the intermission made it a 33-31 game at the break.
 
Cuonzo Martin's Bears conclude their four-game conference road swing Saturday at UTEP with a 3 p.m. (Central) start on ESPN+.
 
The squad's next home game is on Wednesday, Jan. 28 vs. Sam Houston (7 p.m.) with a special halftime performance by the Master of Simon Sez Steve Max. The Jan. 28 game is also Faith and Family Night.
 
Tickets for the Sam Houston game, and all remaining home games, are available at MissouriStateBears.com/tickets or through the MSU Athletics Box Office at Great Southern Bank Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular office hours.
 
A complete list of season promotions and ticket specials is also available at MissouriStateBears.com/promotions.