LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Missouri State’s Keith Palek scored 26 points and made 12-of-14 free throws to help lift the visiting Bears past New Mexico State, 84-75, here Thursday.
The Bears (11-8, 5-3 CUSA) also got 21 points and a game-high 9 rebounds from Michael Osei-Bonsu, while Kobi Williams pitched in 13 points in the winning cause.
With the victory, MSU secured the season sweep over the Aggies (10-8, 3-5 CUSA).
With the game tied, 64-64, with less than seven minutes to play, Tyrique Brooks began the Missouri State march to victory, converting a traditional three-point play to push the visitors up by three. Kobi Williams gave the Bears a six-point lead with his third triple of the game at the five-minute mark, and then Palek helped break the Aggies’ backs with his second three of the game to make it 74-66 with just under four minutes to go.
A minute later, Antwan Burnett pushed the Bears ahead by double figures with a clutch three to make it 77-67. Down the stretch, Burnett converted a key layup, and Palek teamed up with Trey Williams Jr. to make 5-of-6 charity shots in the final two minutes to secure the win.
Missouri State outscored New Mexico State, 20-11, in the game’s final six-and-a-half minutes.
Palek finished 6-for-11 from the field with 6 rebounds and 3 assists in securing his fourth straight 20-point game.
For the game, the Bears finished 27-of-53 (.509) from the field, 8-of-23 (.348) from three and an impressive 22-of-27 (.815) at the line with a 41-27 rebounding advantage, 12 assists and 11 turnovers.
NMSU was 27-of-62 (.435) overall, 6-of-23 (.261) from three and 15-for-20 (.750) at the line with 10 assists and just 5 turnovers.
In the first half, the Bears sprinted out to a 23-6 lead in the opening 12 minutes and held that 17-point advantage after a Palek leaner off the glass with 6:23 left in the opening stanza.
But NMSU’s Jemel Jones then took the momentum back for the home side, reeling off 12 of his team’s points in a 14-0 Aggies run over the five minutes that whittled the Bears’ lead to three. Jones racked up 17 points in the first half and finished with a game-high 28 points.
Osei-Bonsu and Palek got the Bears back on track in the final 90 seconds with three points apiece in that span, but Jones’ three just before the intermission made it a 33-31 game at the break made it 27-10.
Cuonzo Martin‘s Bears conclude their four-game conference road swing Saturday at UTEP with a 3 p.m. (Central) start on ESPN+.
The squad’s next home game is on Wednesday, Jan. 28 vs. Sam Houston (7 p.m.) with a special halftime performance by the Master of Simon Sez Steve Max.
