NORMAL, Ill. – Despite out-rebounding Missouri State and committing single-digit turnovers, the Illinois State Redbirds were unable to overcome a cold finish to the game, falling 72-62 to the Bears on Sunday afternoon.
DJ Horne continued his torrid long-range shooting as the sophomore – who came into the game ranked ninth in the country in three-point field goal percentage – made 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, scoring a team-high 18 points along with two rebounds and two assists. Josiah Strong scored 14 points off the bench while Antonio Reeves scored nine. Dusan Mahorcic pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds, as Howard Fleming Jr.  dished out a team-high three assists.
After Missouri State started the scoring in the game with a Ja'Monta Black jumper 24 seconds into the game, the Redbird defense tightened, holding the visitors without a point for the next three and a half minutes while scoring eight points of their own during that stretch. Missouri State fought back with seven straight points to re-take the lead, and the lead changed hands six times over the next four minutes. With the game tied at 21, the Missouri State offense caught fire and took an eight-point, 42-34 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Early in the second half the Bears pushed the margin to 10 at 46-36; however, ISU scored the next 11 points to erase the double-digit deficit and take a lead on a Reeves lay-in. Missouri State answered with six straight points and took a lead it would not relinquish for the remainder of the game. The Redbirds got to within a single possession multiple times over the rest of the game; however, the visitors ended the game on a 6-0 run, holding ISU scoreless for the final 1:56 of the game.
Isiaih Mosley – the leading scorer in the MVC this season – scored a game-high 24 points, going 8-of-23 from the field and 3-of-10 from long range. Gaige Prim added 16 points while Black added 10.
The Redbirds out-rebounded Missouri State 40-to-38 and committed just nine turnovers in the loss. The 'Birds made 23-of-63 shots from the field (36.5%) and 10-of-27 (37.0%) from long range while making six of seven free throws. Missouri State was 27-of-63 (42.9%) from the field and 11-of-29 (37.9%) from long range.
The Redbirds take to the road for three consecutive games, starting with a Saturday, February 13 battle with the Southern Illinois Salukis starting at 3 p.m.
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