Mustangs beat No. 12 Northwest Missouri State 72-70
SAN ANTONIO - Midwestern State University senior Chad Rickett buried a nine-foot running jumper with 1.4 seconds to play to lift the Mustangs to a 72-70 victory over 12th ranked Northwest Missouri State Wednesday afternoon in the St. Mary's River City Classic.
MSU (7-3) kept the No. 12 Bearcats (8-2) at bay. The Mustangs started the game with a 13-0 run, only to have NWMSU answer the call.
Midwestern State never trailed in the game, but the score was tied three times.
MSU held a 33-28 advantage at the half, but Northwest Missouri came back to tie it 38-all.
But MSU came back with a Drew Coffman three that sparked a 10-2 run, only to see the Bearcats again come back from the mat with an 8-0 run to tie it at 45-all.
That's when the Mustangs stepped up again.
Rickett got a layup, then Coffman a layup and free throw to start a 9-0 run. MSU built a 15-point 65-50 lead with 6:03 to go.
The 12th ranked Bearcats would not go away. After trading baskets, MSU held an 11-point 68-57 lead with 3:24 to go.
That's when NWMSU made it's push. Lance Sullivan's free throws started a 13-2 run toward the final buzzer.
The run ended when Northwest's Hunter Henry tied the game with 12.9 seconds to play on a layup in traffic. However, Henry came down on a player's foot and had to leave the game with an injury.
Reggie Robinson came in for the free throw, but missed and MSU's Rod Jacobs pulled down the board.
Ricketts got the ball in the offense and drove the left side of the lane with a pull-up jumper from nine feet out that dropped through for the win.
MSU was paced by Coffman's double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds with a game-high five assists, while Rickett collected 19 points. Eric Dawson recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go with four blocked shots. Christopher Reay added 10 points with a block as well.
NWMSU was paced by Hunter with 28 points and seven rebounds, with Sullivan adding 20 points. Matt Withers pulled down 13 rebounds for the Bearcats.
MSU now takes time out for the Christmas holidays before returning to hardwood next Saturday, Dec. 30 against Southern Nazarene ( Okla.) at
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