SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State held the nation’s No. 2 scorer under his season average until the final seconds of the game when Valparaiso senior Alec Peters was sent to the line for three free throws with 5.6 seconds to go. The 95-percent foul shooter made all three shots – and finished with a game-high 27 points – to lift the Crusaders (8-2) past MSU, 84-81, here Saturday.
The Bears (5-3) tied the game on a free throw by Alize Johnson with 14 seconds left and seemed to have Peters pinned down beyond the arc in the deciding moments with Obediah Church applying defensive pressure. Peters pump-faked, brought the ball down, and Church was whistled for a three-shot foul to gift wrap the winning points for the visitors.
Johnson scored 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead Missouri State and collect his fourth double-double of the season. Ronnie Rousseau III also scored 21 points for the Bears.
“That’s a tough way to end the game,” said MSU head coach Paul Lusk. “We overcame some mistakes and still had a chance at the end. Peters is as good as we’ll see. It’s just unfortunate for the game to end that way.”
After leading by five points at the break, Missouri State stretched its lead to as many as eight in the second half. After a dunk by Jaume Sorolla got the Crusaders back within 56-52, Jarred Dixon answered with a traditional 3-point play with 13:35 to go when the sophomore gathered in a 50-50 ball off the offensive glass and converted a close-range bucket and free throw to make it 59-52.
Valparaiso then tallied the game’s next eight points – all by Lexus Williams – to retake the lead before a dunk by Church swung the momentum back to the home side midway through the final stanza.
After Shane Hammink fouled out for Valparaiso with 6:53 remaining, it was Dixon again who helped ignite the JQH Arena crowd. A pass from Church to Dixon in heavy traffic gave the Bears a 67-65 lead with six-and-a-half to play. Church later scored a traditional 3-point play a minute later to give MSU a 70-68 advantage with 5:37 to go.
Peters responded with a 20-footer, Williams added a layup off a botched Bears’ defensive rebound, and Peters then tacked on an “and one” play all within the span of the next 60 seconds to put the visitors up 75-70.
It would take the Bears nearly all of the remaining 4:35 to tie the game again, which they finally did on Johnson’s foul shot with 14 seconds to go to make it 81-81. Rousseau and Dequon Miller were responsible for all 10 Bears’ points in that stretch run to keep things close and give the Bears a chance to catch the Crusaders in the final moments.
Miller and Dixon each contributed 13 points apiece for Missouri State with Rousseau posting three steals and converting 3-of-4 from bonus distance.
The Bears fired at a 50.8-percent clip from the field (31-for-61) on the night in their fourth 50-percent shooting performance in eight games. MSU also collected 26 bench points to Valpo’s three.
Missouri State, which entered the game leading The Valley with a 74.1 team free throw percentage, just 13-of-21 (.619) at the foul line.
Tevonn Walker added 21 points for Valparaiso with Hammink scoring 15 and Williams adding 12. Peters was 10-for-17 overall from the field and matched Johnson’s game-high 11 rebounds.
Valparaiso finished 30-of-56 (.536) overall from the field, 9-of-25 (.360) from downtown and 15-of-19 (.789) at the line. The Crusaders owned a 35-27 advantage on the glass and turned the ball over 15 times.
In the first half, a dunk by Hammink gave the visitors their biggest lead of the period, 29-20, before the home side mounted a furious comeback. The Bears ended the stanza on a 23-9 outburst with Ryan Kreklow, Miller and Johnson each dropping in 3-pointers in the span of 8 minutes, 5 seconds to put the Bears up 43-38 at the break.
Missouri State continues its four-game home stand at JQH Arena on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. tip against visiting Oral Roberts.
