ST. LOUIS — Ryan Conwell scored 20 points and top-seeded Indiana State beat Missouri State 75-59 on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
Conwell added six rebounds and three steals for the Sycamores (27-5). Robbie Avila scored 14 points while going 5 of 12 and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. Isaiah Swope went 6 of 16 from the field (1 for 10 from 3-point range) to finish with 13 points.
Donovan Clay finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks for the Bears (17-16). N.J. Benson added 12 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and five blocks for Missouri State. Alston Mason also put up 12 points.
Indiana State took the lead with 9:45 left in the first half and never looked back. Avila led the team in scoring with eight points in the first half to help go ahead 34-31 at the break. Conwell scored a team-high 13 points in the second half.
Indiana St. 75, Missouri St. 59
MISSOURI ST. (17-16) — Benson 3-8 6-8 12, Ayres 1-2 1-2 4, Mason 4-14 3-4 12, Mayo 1-4 0-0 2, Clay 8-14 2-2 18, Lee 1-9 2-2 5, Moore 2-5 0-0 4, Edwards 1-5 0-0 2. Totals: 21-61 14-18 59.
INDIANA ST. (27-5) — Avila 5-12 3-4 14, Conwell 6-14 5-6 20, Larry 3-7 1-1 9, Swope 6-16 0-0 13, Kent 5-9 0-0 12, Bledson 3-5 0-0 7, Wolfe 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 28-63 9-11 75.
Halftime—Indiana St. 34-31. 3-Point Goals_Missouri St. 3-14 (Ayres 1-2, Lee 1-4, Mason 1-5, Clay 0-1, Moore 0-2), Indiana St. 10-30 (Conwell 3-9, Kent 2-2, Larry 2-4, Avila 1-2, Bledson 1-3, Swope 1-10). Rebounds—Missouri St. 35 (Benson 10), Indiana St. 29 (Kent 14). Assists—Missouri St. 11 (Benson 4), Indiana St. 23 (Larry 9). Total Fouls—Missouri St. 14, Indiana St. 16.
