SPRINGFIELD–The Missouri State Lady Bears opened a two game homestand Thursday against two of the tougher teams in the Valley.
First up it’s Northern Iowa, and then Drake on Saturday.
The Panthers are tied for first in the conference, with Drake in second place.
The Lady Bears are right behind the Bulldogs.
And fifth year senior Sydney Wilson honored before the game for scoring 1,000 career points.
Both teams shot better than 50 percent in the opening period, Paige Rocca knocks down the mid-range to even the score at 13-all.
Just under eight-minutes to play in the 2nd, Indya Green with the bank shot to give the Lady Bears a 24-21 lead. Green had a team-high 14 points.
90 seconds left before the half, Cynthia Wolfe buries her only 3-pointer of the game. Panthers in front by seven at this point, but led by five at the break.
Third quarter, Panthers went ahead by as many as 14, Grace Buffeli with the layup underneath. She poured in 13 for UNI.
But in the fourth, thanks to a 17-4 run, MSU claws back to within one-point. Aniya Thomas’s transition bucket cuts the deficit to 63-62.
With less than 30 seconds to go, Rocca’s 3-point attempt to take the lead misses, but Wilson with the rebound and the putback, as Missouri State rallies from 14 to upset Northern Iowa 71-67.
“It seemed like every time a little bit of adversity was thrown at us we just kept responding,” said Lady Bears head coach Beth Cunningham. “And I think that’s a huge step for us because there were some plays where we could’ve gone the other way and they just kept fighting, we didn’t give up and finally turned the tide and got the momentum and just some outstanding performances from a lot of different kids.”
