Feb. 18, 2012
SPRINGFIELD, MO-- Kent Bazemore scored a career high 28 points and Trian Iliadis added 14 to lead the Monarchs over Missouri State, 73-67 in a Sears Bracketbuster game on ESPNU. ODU is 18-11, while Missouri State falls to 16-13. The victory gives ODU seniors, Bazemore, Iliadis, Chris Cooper and Marquel De Lancey 97 career wins tying them with last year's senior class for the overall school mark.
Bazemore hit 9-of-15 from the floor, four-for five from three-point range and six-for-six from the line. He also hauled down seven rebounds dished out four assists and two steals. Iliadis was 5-for-8 from the field and 4-for-5 from three-point range.
The Monarchs hit .510 (25-49) from the floor and .545 (12-22) from beyond the arc.
Missouri State led most of the first half, but a jumper by Kent Bazemore with 1:29 left in the half put the Monarchs up 27-25. Bazemore followed it with a three-pointer for a 30-25 lead. Anthony Dowling scored at the end of the half for MSU as ODU led 30-27.
In the second half, the Monarchs led by nine, 53-44 with 11:04 left in the game and by 10, 67-57 with 2:19 remaining after two Donte Hill free throws.
MSU cut the ODU lead to three, 70-67 after a Kyle Weems three and two free throws by Caleb Patterson. Nick Wright then hit a free throw, followed by two by Kent Bazemore to ice the win for ODU.
The Monarchs are now 6-1 in Bracketbuster games. Bazemore's previous high was 27against Delaware earlier this year. The .545 from the three-point range the bestthis season, beating the .520 against JMU.
The Monarchs have now shot 50 percent or better from the floor five times this season. Twice against Towson, and W&M and now against Missouri State.
Missouri State was led by Kyle Weems, the Missouri Valley Player of the Year with 15 points, followed by Anthony Downing, and Jamar Gulley with 13 each.
Chris Cooper led all with 10 rebounds and the Monarchs committed only nine turnovers on the day.
ODU returns to CAA battles on Wednesday night when they travel to Atlanta, to take on Georgia State in at 7 p.m. contest.