Missouri St. scraps past W. Kentucky 84-78, ends 5-game skid

Dec 6, 2018, 04:19 am

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Tulio Da Silva scored 18 points, Keandre Cook and Ryan Kreklow 15 each as Missouri State battled past Western Kentucky 84-78 Wednesday night, ending a five-game losing streak.

Jarred Dixon scored six of his 11 points with clutch 3-pointers in the final three minutes of a game that saw 11 lead changes. Dixon buried a 3 from the corner that gave Missouri State (4-5) a nine-point lead with 2:59 remaining but WKU's Taveion Hollingsworth scored his fourth trey of the game bringing the Hilltoppers to within six again.

Kreklow hit a 3 that put Missouri State ahead 77-68 with 1:19 to go, but the Hilltoppers reeled off six straight and came as close as 77-74. Dixon drained his clutch 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with 48.7 seconds on the clock, boosting the Bears' lead to 80-74. Missouri State made 4 of 5 from the free throw line to close it out.

Hollingsworth led Western Kentucky (4-4) with 24 points.