Missouri State battled back from a 17-point deficit with just under 16 minutes to play, but ultimately fell 86-81 to Sam Houston in Conference USA action Saturday. The loss marks the seventh straight single-digit conference defeat for the Bears, who drop to 13-16 overall and 7-11 in CUSA play.
The Bears were led by a career-high 24 points from Michael Osei-Bonsu, who shot 10-of-15 from the field. Keith Palek III added 21 points and six rebounds, while Trey Williams Jr. recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and 11 assists, becoming the first Bear since Josh Webster in 2019 to reach double-digit assists. Kobi Williams chipped in 14 points, hitting four three-pointers on the afternoon.
Sam Houston (21-8, 13-5 CUSA) got 23 points from Jacob Walker and 17 from Po’Boigh King, who knocked down three triples. The Bearkats used a 13-5 run early in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 56-39, forcing Missouri State to play catch-up the rest of the way.
Missouri State chipped away in the final minutes, cutting the deficit to five in the final minute, thanks to a late surge from Osei-Bonsu and Trey Williams. However, Sam Houston hit 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
Missouri State closes out the regular season with two home games this week, Thursday, March 5 against WKU and Saturday, March 7 versus Middle Tennessee.
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