CARBONDALE, Ill. — The ebb and flow of a college basketball season often simulates the wildest, most terrifying roller coaster ride imaginable.
Missouri State’s basketball team closed out a January that took it on some trips through hell with a heavenly finish on Wednesday night. The Bears played with poise and grit to come from double-digits behind for a 76-75 overtime stunner over Southern Illinois.
“There’s a lot to choose from,” Coach Dana Ford said when asked what stood out the most after the Bears’ third straight win. “I thought we did a really good job of just continuing to play. We’re pretty good when we do that.”
There were reasons not to. The Bears’ usual scoring leader, Alston Mason, couldn’t buy a basket as his team fell behind 42-31 at halftime and still faced a daunting 11-point deficit with six minutes remaining.
Throughout the adventurous month, which saw Missouri State lose five of six to fall into a deep Missouri Valley Conference crater, Ford remained steady with his team. Just keep working, keep playing. Better days would arrive.
This especially hit home with Chance Moore, the ultra-talented junior wing whose jump shot fell into a deep freeze. Moore was 10 of 51 from the field in nine January games (including not playing at all in one) before blasting back onto the scene in front of 5,002 loud fans at Banterra Center.
Chance Moore has best game in six weeks
Moore had his best game in six weeks, getting 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting. His offensive rebound and follow with 20 seconds remaining tied it at 63-all and forced overtime when SIU failed at the regulation finish.
“I just tried to stay positive,” Moore said of his slump. “I talked to my coaches, my teammates and my family. I just stayed in the lab and kept praying.
“It was tough for me. My offense wasn’t going, so I was just trying to focus on defense and rebounding and other ways to contribute to the game.”
Ford said Moore, to his credit, committed to defense and rebounding while the shots weren’t falling. But Moore’s offense is mandatory for the team’s success, now and longer term.
“I’m happy for Chance. I love the kid. I’m happy for our team because in order for us to play our best basketball five and six weeks from now, he’s gonna have to be a big part of that.”
Moore said he got some confidence from a steal-and-dunk early in the second half, followed by a layup. His 3-pointer in overtime put the Bears in front 70-67.
“He’s a great player. Everybody knows he’s a great player,” teammate Donovan Clay said. “He’s been in a little, you could say a slump. But you can say he’s back.”
Clay snaps tie with 4.8 seconds left
Another big key was Clay, the fifth-year senior who stepped up and showed he’s one of the best players in the Valley. Clay had 24 points and seven rebounds. His 15-foot jumper with 4.8 seconds left in overtime snapped a 72-all tie.
The Salukis turned the ball over against pressure in the back court and had to foul. Cesare Edwards swished two free throws with 2.2 seconds left before league scoring leader Xavier Johnson made a half-court heave at the buzzer to leave SIU one point short.
Many in SIU’s crowd booed. The Bears cheered, pumped fists and hugged. It was quite a scene for a Missouri State team most left for dead a couple of weeks ago.
“We’re just coming along,” Clay said. “We’re just trying to go day by day and move on. That’s our biggest thing. We have to move on after every play and move on after every win and every loss.”
With the game tied late in the overtime, Ford asked Clay in the time out huddle if he wanted the potential go-ahead shot or if Mason should take it and create? It didn’t take long for a response.
“I said me, for sure,” Clay said. “I was hot tonight. I thought it should happen. I’m just glad my guys trusted me tonight. I was on and (Ford) gave me the last shot.”
Asked about Clay’s cool approach, Ford said it affirms a couple of things.
Clay was ‘all-league guy tonight,' coach says
“He played like a man tonight. He was an all-league guy tonight with 24 and seven,” Ford said. “We went to him with the game on the line. I even asked him the huddle, do you want to go with you or ‘Mas’ and he said ‘I’ll take it.’ He put it in the basket and that was awesome.
One week after scoring 36 as Missouri State beat league-contender Drake in double overtime, Mason finished with 13 on 4-for-19 shooting. Moore with 13 and Edwards and Damien Mayo Jr. scored 12 apiece for the Bears (13-9 overall, 5-6 Valley).
“He just wasn’t making shots, so we decided to play through Donny and Cesare down there in the post,” Ford said of Mason. “That’s when we play our best, when we play through the post and attack the basket.
“You have to give ‘Mas’ a little wiggle room. He wasn’t making shots he normally makes, 4 of 19, but it’s good to win a game when he doesn’t shoot it good.”
Mason did make a 3-pointer with the Bears down a dozen with just under six minutes to go. That seemed to kickstart his team, which defended and chipped away. They pulled within 63-60 on Mayo’s offensive-rebound three-point play with 1:57 to go.
Missouri State’s defense was stellar down the stretch as the teams traded frustrating possessions until Moore tied it at 63-all.
“I knew (Mason) was going to get a good look,” Moore said. “As soon as he went up, I knew I was gonna crash. I knew the other team wasn’t really looking and I was able to sneak one of them and tie it up.
SIU (14-8, 6-5) shot 54 percent in the first half with eight 3-pointers. It shot 30 percent the rest of the way, with only a pair of 3-pointers in the second half. Johnson wound up with 28 points, four above his average, but was silent near the end, until the meaningless 3-pointer at the end.
Bears made defensive adjustment at half
“We talked about adjusting our 3-point defense and we did that in the second half,” Ford said. “They made three in overtime, but in the second half, went 2 of 9.
“This one was a tough one,” Moore said. “They are a very physical team. Coach during halftime just told us to keep getting rebounds and finishing through contact. We just kept at it and the tables turned for us.”
Off the recent winning streak — and his rejuvenated offense — Moore said it’s simple.
“I feel like the main thing for us, we just got back to our roots,” he said. “We take pride in our defense, rebounding. When we rebound at a high level, we usually take care of business. On offense, we’re at our best when we keep attacking the rim.”
Meanwhile, Ford said the balanced offense and tough-as-nails approach was great to see.
“I think we need to share the juice,” Ford said of the offensive wealth. “The more, the merrier, You know we’re capable. This is what we’re capable of. We have a deep team and once we get Matthew Lee playing to his capabilities, kind of like Chance did tonight, then we’ll continue to do this.
“But it was good to see us share the juice and get a lot of people involved.”
Now the page turns to February and the Bears look to keep the Big Mo rolling with 1 p.m. home game Saturday against Belmont. Are the Bears officially back in business?
“We’re just gonna keep moving on,” Clay said. “That’s all I can say.”
Missouri State stars
During Missouri State games he covers, Lyndal Scranton will recognize his top three stars of the game. From Wednesday night’s 76-75 win at Southern Illinois:
*** Donovan Clay was ‘the man,’ especially down the stretch. His go-ahead jumper in overtime snapped a 72-all tie and the Bears didn’t give up the lead. Clay finished with 24 points on 12-for-17 field-goal shooting and had seven rebounds in 41 minutes.
** Chance Moore emerged from a deep shooting slump to score 13 points on 5-for-6 field goal shooting, including making both of his 3-point attempts. It was Moore’s best game since prior to Christmas.
* Damien Mayo Jr. had 12 points and four rebounds while going 38 minutes, drawing lots of duty on Valley scoring leader Xavier Johnson. Mayo’s three-point play drew MSU within 63-61 with 1:57 left in overtime.
