Indiana State Wins Missouri Valley Conference & NCAA Bid

Indiana State won the Missouri Valley Conference title game and an automatic bid in the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The Sycamores Upset the number one ranked Missouri State Bears 60-56. This will be the first appearance at the NCAA tournament since 2001 for the Indiana State University men's basketball team. They had to fight off a tenacious Missouri State team to the final seconds to pull off the big win. With 1.4 seconds left on the clock Indiana St. was up by two when Jake Kelly was sent to the foul line to finish off the Bears. Kelly hit both free throws to clinch the game.

Indiana State has had an up and down season with a 20-13 record. They came into the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament as the No. 3 seed. The team managed to rally and play tough defense all game today, keeping Missouri State at 30 percent shooting. Freshman guard Jake Odem contributed 12 points for the Sycamores, and seemed to be in complete control of the game. Senior Aaron Carter led the charge for Indiana State with 15 points.

After a 9-0 run to start the game, both defenses kicked it up a notch. Once the shooters started hitting for the 'Mores, the Bears did well to stay within single digits. Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Karl Weems was held to 11 points in the game, and scored nothing in the last ten minutes of the game. Senior guard Adam Leonard stepped up to hit a huge three pointer in the final minute, but it was not enough.

This is another heartbreak for the Missouri State team as they mourn with their teammate Adam Leonard for the loss of his cousin, Wes Leonard, last week. Wes Leonard was the Michigan high school basketball player who passed away suddenly after hitting the winning shot for his team in the state tournament.

It's unlikely the Bears will get a tournament bid now. The Missouri Valley Conference is not likely to get more than one bid in the NCAA. You never know though, that's why they call it March Madness.