SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Kierra Harris threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, Mikael Cooper-Falls added 95 yards rushing and a score, and Missouri State dominated Western Illinois 42-3 on Saturday for the Bears' first three-game winning streak in eight years.
Harris completed just 13 passes and was intercepted three times, but he managed to find Dorian Buford, Trey Kelley and Cadarrius Dotson for scores. Cedric Miller added a rushing score for the Bears (3-6, 3-3 Missouri Valley), who last strung together three wins Sept. 2-18, 2004.
Harris opened the scoring with a 38-yarder to Buford in the first quarter, then found Kelley and Dotson on short scoring passes in the second before running it in from the 1 just before halftime. That gave the Bears a 28-3 halftime lead.
The Leathernecks (3-5, 1-4) got 75 yards rushing from Caulton Ray and 72 from Nikko Watson. Pat Smith kicked a 27-yard field goal.
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