 Bears Come Up Short in MVC Finals, Fall 60-56 to Upstart SycamoresST. LOUIS -- In a game of streaks and runs, the third-seeded Indiana State Sycamores (20-13) struck last and captured the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title here Sunday with a 60-56 win over top-seeded Missouri State (25-8). The Bears roared out to a 9-0 lead early in the game and led 31-28 at the half before the Sycamores got on track. ISU started the second stanza on an 8-0 run to lead 36-31 and never trailed again. While the Sycamores were rallying, the Bears went cold from the field and did not score a field goal until a layup by Adam Leonard with 9:19 to go in the contest. That shot and stingy defense, however, kept the Bears close, and that shot made it a 46-41 game. After a layup by Jake Kelly pushed ISU's lead back to seven, tournament MVP Jermaine Mallett knocked down a three-pointer to keep it close. Jordan Printy answered with eight minutes to go on a leaner from the left baseline to make it a 50-44 contest. Indiana State would not make another field goal the rest of the way, but with a 23-14 foul discrepancy, the Bears could not close the gap down the stretch. Still, Mallett who finished with 17 points and 8 rebounds, made it interesting. His third trey of the afternoon with 4:33 to go made it a 54-53 game. Later, After Jake Odum made three of four free throws, Leonard knocked down a three from the left corner to make it 57-56 with 25.8 seconds to go. The Bears defended well on the in-bound play, forcing ISU into a timeout, and then a loose ball on the floor that was eventually tied up by Missouri State. However, the possession arrow pointed to Indiana State, and the Sycamores kept possession with 20.4 to go. After Odum was fouled with 19.2 to go and made one free throw, the Bears had a chance to tie with the final possession in a 58-56 game. MSU called timeout with 6.5 seconds left after not finding a seam in the ISU defense. The final play of the night found Mallett alone on the left baseline, but when he ripped to attack the basket for the potential game-tying shot, the ball slipped from his hands and out of bounds with 2.4 ticks to go. Jake Kelly iced to free throws from there to give Indiana State a 60-56 win. Aaron Carter led the Sycamores with 15 points, while Odum added 12. ISU shot 17-for-34 (.500) from the field and 5-of-12 (.417) from beyond the arc. ISU also shot 15 more free throws than the Bears, making 21-of-32 (.656). Missouri State dominated the boards, 39-30, including 20 offensive boards that led to 21 second-chance points. The Bears finished 18-for-59 (.305) from the field, including just 6-of-31 (.194) in the second half. MSU was 8-for-27 from three-point range and took advantage of 12-of-17 (.706) free throw opportunities. Mallett was joined by Weems and Leonard in double figures with 11 points apiece. The trio were all named to the all-tournament team along with Adum and Carter from Indiana State. The Bears, who entered Championship Sunday, at No. 37 in the official NCAA RPI rankings after a remarkable regular-season run, will now play the waiting game in hopes of their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1999 when the field of 68 is announced next Sunday afternoon. In the first half, Missouri State scored the first nine points of the game and out-rebounded Indiana State by seven in the opening period to take a 31-28 lead into the intermission. Odum started a 7-0 run by the Sycamores with a layup at the 13:31 mark, and three-pointers by Carter and Printy pushed ISU into a 12-12 tie just over a minute later. The Bears pushed ahead 17-12 on a jumper and NBA-range three-pointer by Weems over the next one minute, 12 seconds before another 7-0 run by the No. 3 seeded Indiana State club gave the lead back to ISU, 19-17. The lead would change hands five times over the next six minutes before a Nafis Ricks layup in transition and jumper off the glass by reserve Calbe Patterson put the Bears up by three at the break. Courtesy of MVC MVC Tournament Final: Missouri State - Indiana State 56-60 MVC Tournament Semifinals: Missouri State - Creighton 60-50 Wichita State - Indiana State 54-61
Player of the Year: Kyle Weems (6'6''-F-89) of Missouri St. All-Tournament MVP: Jermaine Mallett (6'3''-G-88) of Missouri St. Defensive Player of the Year: Kwadzo Ahelegbe (6'2''-G-88) of N.Iowa Freshman of the Year: Doug McDermott (6'7''-F) of Creighton Newcomer of the Year: Doug McDermott (6'7''-F) of Creighton Sixth Man of the Year: Ben Smith (6'5''-F) of Wichita St. Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Will Creekmore (6'9''-C-89) of Boston U. Coach of the Year: Cuonzo Martin of Missouri St. 1st Team G: Kwadzo Ahelegbe (6'2''-88) of N.Iowa F/C: J.T. Durley (6'8''-88) of Wichita St. F: Doug McDermott (6'7'') of Creighton G: Andrew Warren (6'5''-87) of Bradley F: Kyle Weems (6'6''-89) of Missouri St. 2nd Team C: Will Creekmore (6'9''-89) of Boston U. G: Colt Ryan (6'5''-90) of Evansville G: Jermaine Mallett (6'3''-88) of Missouri St. G: Toure Murry (6'4''-89) of Wichita St. G: Antoine Young (6'0''-89) of Creighton Honorable Mention Carlton Fay (6'8''-F-88) of S.Illinois Anthony James (6'0''-G) of N.Iowa Jake Odum (6'4''-G) of Indiana St. Rayvonte Rice (6'4''-G) of Drake Carl Richard (6'5''-G/F-89) of Indiana St. All-Defensive Team Kwadzo Ahelegbe (6'2''-G-88) of N.Iowa Gregory Echenique (6'9''-C-90) of Rutgers Jermaine Mallett (6'3''-G-88) of Missouri St. Lucas O'Rear (6'6''-F-80) of N.Iowa Jake Odum (6'4''-G) of Indiana St. All-Newcomers Team Gregory Echenique (6'9''-C-90) of Rutgers Doug McDermott (6'7''-F) of Creighton Jake Odum (6'4''-G) of Indiana St. Rayvonte Rice (6'4''-G) of Drake Mamadou Seck (6'6''-F) of SE Illinois JC All-Tournament Team Jermaine Mallett (6'3''-G-88) of Missouri St. Kyle Weems (6'6''-F-89) of Missouri St. Adam Leonard (6'1''-G-87) of E.Kentucky Jake Odum (6'4''-G) of Indiana St. Aaron Carter (6'4''-G-88) of Indiana St. All-Freshman Team Doug McDermott (6'7''-F) of Creighton Jahenns Manigat (6'1''-G) of Creighton Jake Odum (6'4''-G) of Indiana St. Rayvonte Rice (6'4''-G) of Drake Nathan Scheer (6'5''-F) of Missouri St. Most-Improved Team Anthony James (6'0''-G) of N.Iowa Will Creekmore (6'9''-C-89) of Boston U. David Kyles (6'4''-G-89) of Wichita St. Dyricus Simms-Edwards (6'2''-G) of Bradley Antoine Young (6'0''-G-89) of Creighton All-Bench Team Ben Smith (6'5''-F) of Wichita St. Ned Cox (6'1''-G) of Evansville Jahenns Manigat (6'1''-G) of Creighton Jordan Printy (6'4''-G-88) of Indiana St. Garrett Stutz (7'0''-C-90) of Wichita St. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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