Missouri St defeats Lindenwood 70-65
Missouri St Edges Lindenwood in Thrilling Home Win
The Great Southern Bank Arena was electric on Wednesday night as the Missouri St Bears welcomed the Lindenwood Lions to their home turf, and it was a battle for the ages. The end result was a 5-point victory for the Bears, who outlasted their visitors 70-65.
Trailing 34-22 at halftime, the Bears rallied behind a strong second-half performance from Michael Osei-Bonsu, who scored 19 points on an impressive 66.7% shooting clip. Keith Palek III added 14 points and 8 rebounds to help his team secure the win.
Lindenwood, meanwhile, struggled to find its footing in the second half, shooting just 43% compared to Missouri St's 56%. Jadis Jones led the Lions with 16 points on 54.5% shooting from the field, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Bears' dominance.
The game was a testament to the Bears' ability to bounce back from adversity, as they trailed by as many as 15 in the third quarter before making their surge. Missouri St's defense, which held Lindenwood to just 22 points per half, played a key role in the turnaround.
Advanced statistics told a similar story. The Bears outshot their visitors at every level, with an effective field goal percentage of 46.8% compared to Lindenwood's 39.8%. Missouri St also forced more turnovers and had an edge on the glass, outrebounding Lindenwood 44-41.
The win moves Missouri St to [insert ranking information here] in the conference standings, while Lindenwood falls to [insert ranking information here]. The Lions' loss is a significant setback for their postseason hopes, but they will look to bounce back against [insert next opponent].
For the Bears, this victory is a crucial non-conference win that should provide a boost to their resume. With a tough stretch of games ahead, Missouri St will look to build on this momentum and make a push for the playoffs.
The Great Southern Bank Arena was electric as the Bears celebrated their hard-fought win over Lindenwood. The crowd's energy was palpable, and it was clear that the home team had the upper hand throughout the contest. As the Bears head into the weekend, they'll look to keep this momentum going against [insert next opponent].