Bradley (4-7 overall, 0-1 MVC) had its most efficient shooting half of the season, connecting on 63 percent (17-for-27) of its shots in the opening 20 minutes and led 40-34 at the break.  The Braves scored the first six points of the second half to extend the lead to 12 points (46-34). 

Junior Raisa Taylor (Decatur, Ill./Eisenhower) hit a jumper in the lane with 11:29 remaining to give BU a 55-46 lead, but the Braves would go the next 5:18 without scoring and Missouri State (9-3 overall, 1-0 MVC) countered with seven consecutive points to pull to within two at 55-53 with just over six minutes to play.  Bradley went 0-for-3 with eight turnovers during the drought.

The Lady Bears held the Braves to 32.3 percent shooting in the second half, but Bradley still held a four-point lead (63-59) with 4:11 to play after a Taylor basket.  Casey Garrison, the MVC's leading scorer, answered with a runner in the lane and Missouri State senior guard Melissa Busby followed up back-to-back BU turnovers with a three-pointer from the wing with 3:15 to play to give the Bears their first lead of the game at 64-63.

Bradley missed shots on its next two possessions and the Lady Bears pushed the lead to 68-63 on a pair of free throws by Lacey Boshe and a put-back basket by Christiana Shorter.   Senior Jenny Van Kirk (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) got a put-back basket of her own to pull Bradley to within three points (68-65) with 1:37 on the clock, but Missouri State pulled down two offensive boards on the next possession and Boshe scored her game-high 24^th point of the night on a baseline jumper with 47 seconds left.  The Braves were unable to score on the next two possessions and the Bears picked up their fifth consecutive victory with a 72-67 win.

Freshman Katie Yohn (Elgin, Ill./St. Edward) got off to a hot start, scoring 13 of her team-high 18 points in the first half.  She also had a season-high six rebounds to go along with one assist, two blocks and three steals.  Taylor reached double figures for the third consecutive outing, adding 13 points, four assists, three blocks and one steal.  Bradley collected a season-best 10 blocked shots and outrebounded the Bears 45-34, but committed 31 turnovers and made just 8-of-15 free throw attempts.

First-half foul trouble also helped Missouri State keep pace with the Braves.  Junior Sonya Harris (Riverdale, Ill./Thornton) picked up two fouls in the first five minutes of the contest and sophomore Leah Kassing (Mount Sterling, Ill./Brown County)was whistled for her second foul just 8:04 into the game.  Despite the foul trouble in the post, Bradley held a 19-13 rebounding edge in the opening 20 minutes.  Kassing turned in seven points and a career-best 11 rebounds in 21 minutes.

Boshe paced Missouri State with 24 points and eight rebounds as she was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.  Garrison added 15 points, seven boards, six assists and five steals, while Shorter was also in double figures with 11 points.  Missouri State entered the game as the top offensive team in the Missouri Valley Conference, but was limited to 35.4 percent shooting.  The Bears were 23-for-33 from the free throw line, however, and posted a 23-15 edge in points off turnovers.