Indiana State beats Missouri State for MVC title
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Aaron Carter scored 15 points and Indiana State held top seed Missouri State to 30.5 percent shooting in a 60-56 victory in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament final on Sunday.
Jake Kelly hit two clinching free throws with 1.4 seconds to go for the third-seeded Sycamores (20-13), who shot 50 percent and earned their first NCAA tournament berth since 2001. Indiana State has won five in a row and knocked off second seed Wichita State in the semifinals.
Kyle Weems, the conference player of the year, was held to 11 points on 3-for-16 shooting and got his last basket came with 11:12 to go in the first half. Jerome Mallett had 17 points and eight rebounds but was the only starter shooting above 50 percent for Missouri State (25-8), which shot below 40 percent in all three tournament games.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Missouri State missed its first 13 shots of the second half, falling behind by as many as eight points.
The Bears won their first MVC title and have a 37 RPI but are long shots to make the NCAAs. The MVC is 12th in conference RPI and is likely to be a one-bid conference for the fourth straight season.
Jake Odum added 12 points for Indiana State and was 4 for 6 from the line in the final 1:26.