SPRINGFIELD – There were just six ties and four lead changes, but it would have been hard to imagine a closer contest here Thursday as visiting Louisiana Tech edged Missouri State, 79-78, in a double-overtime Conference USA thriller.
 
The Bears (13-11, 7-6 CUSA) got a game-high 24 points from Kobi Williams behind six 3-pointers, with Michael Osei-Bonsu producing his fourth double-double of the season on 22 points and 13 rebounds. Keith Palek III also contributed 18 points for the home club.
 
LA Tech (14-10, 7-6 CUSA) was led by Avery Thomas' 19 points behind four triples, while Kaden Cooper cashed in 17 points off the bench.
 
The Bears had opportunities to finish off the visitors, leading by five with under three minutes to play in regulation; pushing ahead by five again with less than two minutes left in the first overtime; and having the ball on the game's final possession in the second overtime shooting for the win. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs had an answer at every turn.
 
AJ Bates' runner with 0.8 seconds left in regulation capped a late 6-1 run by LA Tech to force extra time. Osei-Bonsu scored MSU's first five points in overtime before Palek's layup made it 75-70 with 1:59 remaining. Williams Jr. then led LTU back in the fray with five of his team's points in the extra period, including a layup with 22.9 seconds to go that knotted the score at 75.
 
In the second overtime, DJ Dudley buried a pair of mid-range jumpers to push LA Tech up by four early before Kobi Williams' clutch three with 42 seconds left drew Missouri State within one. Darrion Sutton then stood out on the defensive end for the Bears with a block and rebound that gave the home side a chance to win it with 16 ticks remaining.
 
Coming out of their last timeout with 10.7 seconds to go in the second OT, the Bears turned to Osei-Bonsu who backed down his defender before drawing a triple team and pitching the ball to Palek whose jumper missed. Trey Williams Jr. gathered in the offensive board for Missouri State, but his desperation jump shot just before the final horn also missed to end the two-and-a-half hour battle.
 
Trey Williams' late rebound was the 20^th offensive carom of the night for MSU, a milestone it had not reached since the season opener against Missouri Southern.  
Kobi Williams also set a MoState season high-water mark with a career-high 15 3-point attempts on the evening, six of which found their mark.
 
Thomas scored 11 of his 19 points in the second half for the Bulldogs, but was shut out in overtime, while Cooper wrangled in 13 boards for the visitors to complete a double-double off the bench.
 
Missouri State trailed by as many as eight in the second half before starting their comeback climb just before the under-12 media timeout. A long two-pointer from Antwan Burnett started an 11-1 surge over a four-and-a-half minute stretch with Palek's jumper off the glass giving the Bears a 61-58 lead at the under-eight timeout.
 
But down the stretch, the Bears converted just 2-of-7 field goals and a key video review went Louisiana Tech's way with 20 seconds left in regulation to further hinder Missouri State's victory plans.
 
On the night, the Bears finished 26-for-75 (.347) overall, 8-of-31 (.258) from three, and 18-for-26 (.692) at the line with a 47-42 rebounding edge, 11 assists, 10 steals and 23 second-chance points.
 
LA Tech was 31-for-71 (.437) overall from the field, 5-of-20 (.250) from bonus distance and 12-of-18 (.667) from the line with 20 turnovers, 12 blocks, 40 points in the paint and 36 bench points.
 
In the first half, the Bears used back-to-back threes from Kobi Williams to push ahead 26-14 just over 10 minutes into the opening stanza. However, MSU would convert just one field goal the remainder of the half while the visitors embarked on a 22-6 run over the last nine minutes to lead 36-32 at the intermission.
 
Kobi Williams led all scorers with 13 points in the opening period, including 3-of-4 from long range, before going to the bench with his second foul. The Bears also out-rebounded the Bulldogs, 18-12, in the period behind 8 boards from Osei-Bonsu.
 
MoState continues its three-game home stand on Saturday at 2 p.m. when it hosts Delaware on Hall of Fame Weekend which will feature former Missouri State standouts Kyle Weems and Alize Johnson, among others, being honored at halftime.
 
The home stand concludes Feb. 18 against Kennesaw State (7 p.m.).
 
Tickets for all upcoming 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.