By Austin Duncan
SPRINGFIELD, MO- The Illinois State Redbirds and Missouri State Bears both played its first overtime games of the 2015-16 season, but it was the Bears who came away with the 84-81 win at JQH Arena in Springfield.
The Redbirds came out firing, starting the game on a 9-2 run before Missouri State was able to tie the game at nine on a score by Obediah Church with 12:08 to play in the first half.
The tie was short lived as nine seconds later the Redbirds found sharpshooter , Justin McCloud open for a 3-pointer.
Missouri State gathered its first lead of the game at the 8:24 mark of the first half on a made jump shot by Camyn Boone. Boone’s score sparked an 11-0 run for the Bears, giving them a 24-16 lead.
Illinois State’s Deontae Hawkins halted the run on a 3-point basket with 6:24 remaining in the half.
The Redbirds trailed by as many as eight points before charging back to tie the game at 31 points apiece. Missouri State’s Chris Kendrix scored with just under 30 seconds to play in the half to give Missouri State a 33-31 halftime lead.
Illinois State began the second half on a 14-6 run, meanwhile gathering a six point lead before a 3-pointer by Kendrix cut the lead to just three.
Missouri State tied the game on a 3-pointer by Dequon Miller at the 13:32 mark.
The Redbirds answered with a pair of back-to-back 3-pointers from Justin McCloud and Deontae Hawkins to give ISU another six point lead. The Redbirds were able to stretch its lead to as many as nine on a jump shot by MiKyle McIntosh with 8:25 to play.
The Bears answered with a 10-0 run of its own to give the Bears its first lead since the 18 minute mark of the second half.
Illinois State regained the lead at 61-60 on a pair of Devaughn Akoon-Purcell free throws with 5:24 to play. A score from Paris Lee expanded the ‘Birds lead to 63-60.
After leading by as many as six, Missouri State cut the lead to just four points. The Redbirds returned to offense following a Bears possession and with four seconds on the shot clock ISU was granted a timeout. Missouri State head coach Paul Lusk received a technical foul during this time for arguing calls with the officials.
Hawkins missed both of the technical free throws, and Illinois State got the ball back. Missouri State elected to foul, McIntosh made both.
The Bears next four points would come from the free throw line to cut the Illinois State lead to 70-68 with 31 seconds to play.
With 14 seconds remaining, Missouri State’s Jarred Dixon was fouled by McIntosh, who fouled out of the game. Dixon made the first, forcing a timeout from Redbird head coach Dan Muller. The second was missed, and the rebound came to Akoon-Purcell who got fouled and hit both free throws to give ISU a 72-69 lead with seven seconds to play.
Missouri State inbounded the ball and it found itself in the hands of Dequon Miller who nailed a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining. The last second desperation shot from the Redbirds was no good, forcing overtime.
Quintin Brewer collected his first points of the game and the first points of overtime at the 3:39 mark. Brewer would spark a 7-0 run by the Redbirds, giving them a 79-72 lead.
The Bears would not shy away, scoring five straight to cut the Redbird lead to two. Missouri State hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the ISU lead to just one with 1:52 to play.
Missouri State gathered its first lead of overtime on a jump shot by Dixon with 1:12 remaining. Illinois State played stout defense, got the ball back, and called a timeout with just 10 seconds to play.
Devaughn Akoon-Purcell missed a layup after beating the Missouri State defender off the dribble. Dixon, who was fouled after the rebound, made a pair of free throws to give the Bears the win, who ended the game on a 7-0 run.
Illinois State was paced in scoring by Devaughn Akoon-Purcell’s 18 points. Two other Redbirds scored in double figures including MiKyle McIntosh with 16, and Deontae Hawkins with 15. Akoon-Purcell also collected a team-high nine rebounds. Paris Lee added a game-high six assists.
Dequon Miller added 22 points including making 6-of-10 from 3-point land. Chris Kendrix and Jarred Dixon added 17 and 14 points respectively.
The Redbirds drop to 6-4 in MVC play and 12-11 on the season.
Illinois State returns to action Wednesday night as it travels to Loyola for a 7 p.m. tip.
Listen to head coach Dan Muller’s postgame comments here.
Listen to postgame comments from Devaughn Akoon-Purcell here.
