Missouri State 28 points and shot 67 percent in a fourth quarter that included a game-deciding 12-0 run Friday for a 73-62 Missouri Valley Conference victory over Wichita State at JQH Arena.
Four Lady Bears (5-9, 1-2 MVC) scored in double figures, led by Liza Fruendt’s 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Freshman Alexa Willard scored 10 of her career-high 17 points in the final period, Audrey Holt scored a career-high 13 points, and Aubrey Buckley notched her first career double-double with 15 points and 10 boards while shooting 6-for-7 from the floor.
Missouri State never trailed after a 7-0 run in the first quarter put the home team ahead 15-9 on a Fruendt jumper seven minutes into the game. The Lady Bears extended the lead to nine points at 24-15 on another trey by Fruendt with 4:37 left in the second quarter, and the junior scored the final five points of the half for a 29-22 lead at intermission after the Shockers pulled within a bucket.
The Lady Bears extended the run to 11-1 after the break to earn a 35-23 advantage, and went up 38-27 with 5:07 left in the third quarter before the Shockers forced five MSU turnovers during a 15-4 run to even the score at 42-all.
MSU scored the next five points and the Shockers (5-9, 0-3) knotted the score at 47-47 with 8:29 to play before Willard started a 12-0 run with a jumper and ended it with a 3-pointer that made the score 59-47 with 5:23 to play. The Lady Bears remained ahead by double digits for the remainder of the contest, finishing the final period 10-for-15 from the field with eight assists and only two turnovers.
Missouri State shot 43.1 percent in the game and 17-for-23 from the foul line, ending the contest with a 40-30 rebounding margin and 16 assists against 14 turnovers.
The Lady Bears play their first road game in more than a month when they visit Evansville for a 7 p.m. game on Jan. 13.
