Missouri State University

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For the second straight game, the Missouri State Lady Bears took a 41-22 lead into the halftime locker room, using a 29-9 run to close the first half of their non-conference match-up with Arkansas State Sunday afternoon at JQH Arena. Sophomore Tia Mays nearly broke the MSU single-game record for blocks in just 15 minutes of court time, rejecting seven ASU shots.

Christiana Shorter was a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor to lead all scorers with 12 points, and Jasmine Malone and Casey Garrison chipped in eight points apiece for the Lady Bears, who shot .500(17-of-34) from the field as a team.

The large halftime margin came despite a sluggish start for the Lady Bears, as ASU jumped out to an early advantage, scoring on its first three trips down the floor to take a 7-0 lead. The Lady Bears struggled in the early going, needing seven possessions to score their first points of the game. Malone’s three from the right wing got the ball rolling for MSU, which would score the next seven points to draw even with the Red Wolves.

After a Shay Scott temporarily gave ASU a two-point lead, Malone struck again from long range with 13:28 to play in the half, handing MSU its first lead of the afternoon.

ASU converted three straight field goal attempts to leap-frog the Lady Bears for a 13-12 lead, but MSU responded by reeling off eight unanswered points  and 11 of 13 overall to push their advantage to 23-14.

The Red Wolves would cut the lead to five with four straight points, but baskets by Garrison and Shorter would make it a 27-18 game with just under five minutes to play in the half.

After a Scott free throw drew ASU to within 27-19, MSU made its big move, running off 14 unanswered points to stretch its lead to 22 with just under one minute remaining. converting six straight buckets in the paint.

MSU would finish the half with a 22-10 advantage in points in the paint, while holding ASU to 8-of-33 (.242) shooting.