Rotnei Clarke drained a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left in overtime and then hit two free throws to seal Arkansas’ 66-62 victory over previously undefeated Missouri State on Tuesday night.
The Razorbacks (7-5) have now won five straight after losing consecutive games to Morgan State, East Tennessee State, South Alabama and Oklahoma.
Kyle Weems scored 24 points to lead the Bears (10-1), who were off to their best start since opening the 1996-97 season 10-0.
Clarke, who finished with a team-high 19 points, gave Arkansas a 59-57 lead on a 12-foot jumper with 4.7 seconds left in regulation. But Missouri State forced overtime when Justin Fuehrmeyer caught the inbounds pass near midcourt, took a few dribbles and found Caleb Patterson alone under the basket for a layup at the buzzer.
Austin Peay 71, Evansville 68
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Anthony Campbell scored 17 points, including going 2-for-2 from the foul line in the game’s final seconds, to lead Austin Peay in a 71-68 win over Evansville on Tuesday night.
Tyrone Caldwell turned a one-point Austin Peay advantage into a 69-66 lead, nailing a pair of free throws with 7 seconds left.
Ned Cox pulled Evansville back within one point with a couple of foul shots 2 seconds later, but Campbell sealed the game for the Governors at the stripe after Denver Holmes fouled him.
John Fraley added 14 points and Wes Channels chipped in 11 for the Governors (8-5), who bounced back after losing 90-69 at No. 3 Kentucky on Saturday.
Holmes led the Purple Aces (6-4) with 16 points. Clint Hopf had a double-double for Evansville, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 boards.
The Governors snapped a three-game losing skid to Evansville.
Illinois State 80, Grambling 56
NORMAL — Osiris Eldridge scored a season-high 23 points Tuesday night to help Illinois State defeat Grambling State, 80-56.
Jackie Carmichael matched his career-best performance with 16 points for the Redbirds (9-2), and Dinma Odiakosa had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Illinois State held a 43-27 rebounding edge over the Tigers.
Eldridge had 18 of his points in the first half, when Illinois State built a 39-28 lead. The Redbirds then scored the first seven points of the second half and kept the lead in double figures for the remainder of the game.
Lance Fuertado had 21 points to lead Grambling (2-6), and Donald Qualls scored 13.
Creighton 85, Houston Baptist 56
OMAHA, Neb. — Creighton had a Qwest Center Omaha-record 28 assists on 32 baskets and beat Houston Baptist, 85-56, on Tuesday night in its final tune-up before Missouri Valley Conference play next week.
The Bluejays (5-6) got 53 points from their bench and improved to 5-0 at home this season. Cavel Witter scored a season-high 18 points in 20 minutes off the bench, and fellow reserves Wayne Runnels and Ethan Wragge added 13 and 10 points, respectively. Starters Darryl Ashford (12 points) and Kenny Lawson Jr. (11) were also in double figures.
Remy Boswell had 14 points and Mario Flaherty added 12 for Houston Baptist (1-11), which is in its third year transitioning to Division I.
The Bluejays led 14-1 at the outset and 44-18 by halftime, enabling them to empty their bench early. Creighton built its largest lead of the season in the second half at 76-40 with 8:40 to play.
