Fletcher basket lifts S Illinois over Missouri St 79-77

Jan 27, 2018, 08:39 pm

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Armon Fletcher scored 18 points, including a layup with 6.7 seconds left, to lift Southern Illinois to a 79-77 win over Missouri State on Saturday night.

Kavion Pippen, who added 17 points, got the ball on the low block before finding Fletcher cutting down the lane. Jarrid Rhodes missed a potential winning 3 for the Bears as time ran out.

Missouri State was down by 11 at the half and 10 with 11 1/2 minutes to play before finally tying the game twice with less than two minutes to go.

Southern Illinois (14-9, 6-4 Missouri Valley conference) made 8 of 13 3-pointers and shot 64 percent (30 of 47) from the field.

Alize Johnson had 29 points and 12 rebounds for the Bears (15-8, 5-5), who shot 58 percent in the second half but couldn't slow the Salukis offense. Obediah Church had two blocks to break the school record of 167 set by Danny Moore (1996-99).