Missouri State’s defense had its best showing of the season Thursday evening at JQH Arena, holding Indiana State to 25 percent shooting in a 75-41 victory. The Lady Bears (20-9, 13-4 Missouri Valley Conference) remain in a second-place tie with Drake in the league standings, while ISU fell to 13-15 overall and 9-8 in MVC games.
Indiana State’s point total and shooting percentage were season lows for an MSU opponent, while the 34-point margin of victory was the team’s largest since a 41-point win at Wichita State in 2005.
The Lady Bears never trailed in the contest, and closed the first half on a 35-9 run from an 8-7 score midway through the first quarter. MSU held the Sycamores to four points over a 13-minute stretch spanning the first and second quarters, limiting ISU to 6-for-31 shooting before the break.
Missouri State led by as many as 37 points in the third quarter, finishing the game with 26 points off 24 ISU turnovers.
Tyonna Snow led a group of four double-figure scorers with 17 points, followed by Liza Fruendt (13), Kenzie Williams (12) and Lexi Hughes(11). Lee Ann Polowy added a trio of 3-pointers to match her career high with nine points.
Fruendt added a career-high 10 rebounds for her first career double-double, and Hillary Chvatal added five boards to surpass the 600-mark for her career.
Snow and Williams had four steals each for the Lady Bears, giving Snow 96 on the year for the No. 4 season total in school history. Hughes added a season-high five assists.
The Lady Bears host Illinois State at 2 p.m. Saturday in the final home game of the season.
