After Northern Iowa scored the game’s first 16 points and led by as many as 26 in the first half, Missouri State rallied to make a game of it in the second half. But the home standing Panthers held off the Bears down the stretch to earn an 85-75 victory at McLeod Center and salvage a split with MSU in the opening series of Missouri Valley Conference play. Gaige Prim and Isiaih Mosley scored 20 points apiece to lead Missouri State (4-1, 1-1 MVC) with Prim going 8-for-12 from the field and snagging a team-high 9 rebounds. Mosley scored 18 points in the second half and dished out 5 assists. Ja’Monta Black also pitched in 17 points for the Bears behind 5 3-pointers.
On Sunday, Missouri State (4-0) held off a second-half surge from Northern Iowa and got a career-high 26 points from Isiaih Mosley to turn back the Panthers 79-59, in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both squads.
The Bears return to JQH Arena for two games against Indiana State (3-4, 0-2 MVC) this weekend with a 5 p.m. start on Saturday, followed by a 3 p.m. game against the Sycamores on Sunday.
