Bears Beat Sycamores by 29

The Missouri State basketball team was on the road Saturday afternoon, taking on Indiana State.

There was some concern that the Bears could be without the services of their leading scorer, Blake Ahearn, who missed Friday's practice due to food poisining. He spent most of Friday on an I.V.

But he did make the trip. And he did play. The Bears came in 7-5 in the conference. The Sycamores were 4-7 and losers of six in a row.

Spencer Laurie's three made it 5-0 visitors early in the game.  Then his brother, Shane, pulls up from downtown and hits, Bears up five.  More Shane, the Kickapoo product hits the NBA three. Bears up 19-13.  More homegrown talent. Ozark grad Nathan Bilyeu the steal, and the flush. Bears up a dozen at half, Bilyeu had ten.

Second half we go, Drew Richards from Rogersville, the power finish,. Bears up 14.  Then Blake Ahearn hits the three. What food poisining? He led the game with 14 points. Bears up 20.

Inside to Dale Lamberth, the hoop and the harm.

Meanwhile, the Sycamores couldn't hit a shot, not even from close-up. Off the steal, the missed dunk. Indiana State shot 17 percent from the field.

The Bears win, 71-42. Dan Lucy was with the team, and has player reaction.

"Dan Lucy: "Thanks a lot Rob, back here at the Hullman Center in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Bears win their third straight game, joining me now is Shane Laurie. And Shane, you really shut down the Sycamores tonight.

Shane Laurie: "Yeah, coming into the game, we talked about locking down and pressuring them and it worked out for us."

Lucy: "Does it help that a lot of Bears scored tonight?"

Laurie: "Yeah, spreading the ball around, no one on this team is selfish."

Lucy: "Talk about Illinois State?"

Laurie: "It's a big game, we want to play hard and keep the same defensive intensity."

Lucy: "Shane, thanks, Rob that wraps it up, the bears win their third game in a row, 71-42. Back to you"