SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State (7-3) outscored visiting UC Irvine 15-8 in the final 5:20 and made 10 three-pointers to hold off the Anteaters, 57-48, at JQH Arena in the second day of the Basketball Travelers Tip-Off Tourney. 

After Missouri State held a 27-26 halftime lead, the Anteaters (1-9) took a 29-27 lead in the first minute of the second period on a three-pointer by Kevin Bland. The brief Anteater advantage inspired the Bears' guards as Ryan Jehle hit a three-pointer less than 30 seconds later, and Spencer Laurie scored the next eight MSU points as the home team built a 39-33 lead. 

Laurie finished with 10 points and three assists, including eight points in the second period.

After UCI pulled within 42-40 on a jumper by Adam Folker, Bears' junior Justin Fuehrmeyer hit a three-pointer at the 5:20 mark to extend Missouri State's lead to five. Chris Cooks then scored the Bears' next six points on a pair of three-pointers.

Cooks also had nine in the second half to finish with a game-high 16 points.

Fuehrmeyer and Cooks combined to make six-of-six free throws in the final two minutes, and the Anteaters had no answer down the stretch as Missouri State improved to 2-0 in the three-day, round-robin tournament.

In the first half, Missouri State had eight points off the bench from recently-eligible sophomore Will Creekmore, and both teams were 10-for-27 (.370) from the field.  Creekmore finished with eight points and six rebounds, both career highs.

In the first half, UC Irvine jumped out to a 12-8 lead early before an 8-0 run by Missouri State shifted the momentum back to the Bears in a two-and-a-half minute span. Creekmore, a 6-foot-9 transfer from Boston University, had seven of MSU's points during the run, including a three-pointer as the Bears built a 16-12 lead at the 9:57 mark.

The Anteaters, who were led by Kevin Bland's 16 points and Folker's nine rebounds, retook the lead on a three-point play by Brett Lauer, with 3:41 remaining in the first half. However the Bears answered on a free throw by Creekmore and a three-pointer by Cardell McFarland less than two minutes later to give the Bears a 27-24 lead with 1:45 left in the half before going into the break with a 27-26 lead.

For the game, Missouri State shot a season-high 29 three-pointers, making 10, while turning the ball over just 10 times and just twice in the second half. UC Irvine was 18-for-50 (.360) from the field, while the Bears were 18-for-51 (.353), and UCI held a 37-33 rebounding advantage.

With a 7-3 start, Cuonzo Martin becomes the first Missouri State coach since Mark Bernsen (1992) to begin his MSU career with seven wins in his first 10 games. The last Bears' sideline boss to go 8-3 in his first season was Bill Thomas (1964).

Earlier in evening, Middle Tennessee also improved to 2-0 in the tournament with a 77-56 win over Norfolk State. The event concludes Monday with UC Irvine facing Norfolk State (1-8) at 5:35 p.m., while the Bears play Middle Tennessee (6-5) in the championship game at 8:05 p.m.