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Missouri Valley Basketball: Indiana State beats Iona in Baha Mar Hoops MTE

Indiana State's Samage Teel (2) steals the ball
Indiana State's Samage Teel (2) steals the ball / MaCabe Brown / Courier & Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Indiana State pushed the Missouri Valley’s multi-team event record over .500 with back-and-forth victory over Iona State. The Sycamores prevailed 83-80. 

Five Sycamores (4-4) reached double-figures as Indiana State made 53 percent of its shots on the offensive end and handed out 17 assists. Coach Matthew Graves went deep into his bench, receiving 38 ‘bench points’. 

The game was tight throughout and was tied at half-time. Indiana State took the lead for good with 3:46 left on a Josiah LeGree (14 points and four assists) dunk and held on for the final three-point victory. 

K’mani Doughty (17), Jaden Daughtry (16), Samage Teel (13) and Bruno Alocen (12) were the Sycamore offensive leaders. 

Missouri Valley teams are now 14-13 in MTE games. 

The Sycamores finish the Baha Mar Hoops – Nassau Championship, Sunday with a 6 pm tip against Tarleton State.

MVC squads Drake and Bradley were. MTE event winners. Indiana State has split its first two games in MTE action and the Sycamores are trying to join Valparaiso and Belmont as teams that went 2-1 during this MTE season.  

Murray State heads to Hawaii for a late December MTE. 

Missouri Valley teams head to conference play this week. All twelve teams play their league opener this week and then return to non-conference play. Undefeated Drake opens on the road at Valparaiso and preseason favorite Bradley also starts with a road challenge. 

Drake is the league's top defensive team, allowing 59.1 points per game. Bulldog guard Mitch Mascari is one of five players nationally who are still perfect from the free throw line (16 attempts). Fellow Drake guard Bennett Stirtz's 37.5 minutes per game is second only to Ethan Taylor (Air Force).

The 7-1 Braves open at Southern Illinois.  Bradley leads the conference and is second nationally in effective field goal percentage (.611) and first in the Valley and country's fifth best three-point shooting team (.433).