RELEASE – ST LOUIS – A buzzer-beater by Drake’s Joseph Yesufu knocked off third-seeded Missouri State in a 71-69 heartbreaker in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinals here Saturday.
With the Bulldogs up by four, MSU’s Demarcus Sharp scored back-to-back layups to tie the game, 69-69, with 19 seconds left before the gut-wrenching final dagger.
Sharp finished with 16 points and 8 assists for Missouri State (17-7), while Gaige Prim led the Bears with 19 points, and Keaton Hervey matched his season high with 18.
The back-and-forth battle featured 16 lead changes with MSU’s largest deficit of the game – six points — coming right at the start.
“That’s one of the best games I’ve been a part of,” said Bears head coach Dana Ford. “I’ve enjoyed coaching this group of guys every single day, including today and watching us battle through the adversity. I just think it’s a season of gratefulness. I’m grateful for getting to coach these guys and grateful for getting the chance to play basketball this season.”
Missouri State erased its early deficit on a counterattack that started by Keaton Hervey sinking one of his four 3-pointers, followed by a nice pull-up from Mosley to trim the Bulldogs’ early lead.
Down three late in the first half, Isiaih Mosley’s triple at the 5:56 mark kick-started a 9-0 run for the Bears. A Hervey three pushed MSU’s advantage to 30-26, before Drake ended the half on a 14-7 scoring spurt of its own with Yesufu’s free throws with no time on the clock giving the Bulldogs a 40-37 cushion at intermission.
In the second half, Prim went to work early as he bested Bulldogs big-man Darnell Brodie’s two quick scores with six points to put MSU ahead 48-46. From there Sharp and Prim combined to score the Bears’ next 12 points with Prim’s free throw at the 6:07 point pulling MSU within one of the 61-60 deficit.
After another clutch three from Hervey made it 63-61, the Bulldogs responded with a three of their own to retake the lead momentarily before the junior forward scored a driving layup to knot the score for the final time and match his season-high.
Prim finished with a game-high 15 rebounds to help the Bears out-rebound the Bulldogs by a 38-32 margin.
Drake (25-3) was led by Joseph Yesufu’s 25 points, while Tremell Murphy scored 20 for the Bulldogs who advance to Sunday’s championship game against Loyola.
The loss gave Missouri State its second straight semifinal exit at Arch Madness.
