Missouri State (3-0) shot 60 percent from the field and got 17 points from Marcus Marshall to help turn back visiting Grambling (0-3) Wednesday night in non-conference play. The Bears also got 14 points from newcomer Emmanuel Addo who was 8-for-8 at the line. MSU out-rebounded the Tigers by a 36-25 margin while collecting 23 assists on 34 field goals.
MSU would eventually lead by 15 in the first stanza as a pair of Addo free throws with just over four-and-a-half on the clock made it a 35-20 contest, but Grambling rallied within six with a 9-0 run to cut its deficit to 35-29 with 2:51 remaining. The home team closed out the opening half with an Addo-generated 4-1 run to lead 39-30 at the intermission.
Less than three minutes into the second half, MSU opened up its biggest lead to that point with an 11-4 scoring run. The Bears finished 34-for-57 from the field, 11-of-25 from long range and 18-for-25 (.720) at the line. MSU missed just nine attempts overall in the second half – four at the foul line and five from the field, including three from beyond the arc.
Grambling committed 16 turnovers and was 22-of-57 (.386) from the field, 4-of-17 (.235) deep and 19-for-24 (.792) at the foul line.