Missouri State used a hot first-half start to topple Tennessee-Martin, 79-51 to improve to 8-0 on the season. Three Bears scored 13 points, including Adam Leonard, Kyle Weems and Jermaine Mallett.
Mallett scored MSU’s first seven points as the Bears jumped out to a 20-7 lead and later used a 16-0 run and UT Martin was never closer than 17 the rest of the way. Mallett, who finished with a career high, and Leonard did all their scoring in the first half, including a combined 4-for-4 from three-point range in the first half.
In the second half, the Bears built their lead to as many as 32 points. Eleven MSU players finished in the scoring column, helping MSU to a 32-9 edge in bench scoring. Mallett grabbed nine rebounds. MSU’s 8-0 record extends its best start since 1996-97 when Steve Alford’s squad started 10-0. The Bears start a four game road trip and play their next game at home on New Years Day.
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