SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Austin Ruder and Jarrid Rhodes combined to hit 10 3-pointers and score 34 points and Missouri State beat Alabama A&M 96-62 in the season opener for both teams on Friday night.
Ruder hit six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points while Rhodes made 6 of 7 field-goal attempts, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range, and scored 16. Alize Johnson added 16 more, on 8-of-8 shooting and Ronnie Rousseau III had 15 points for Missouri State.
Eugene Jones Jr.’s jumper gave Alabama A&M a 2-0 lead nearly 2½ minutes in but, 8 seconds later, Rousseau made a tying layup and Missouri State never again trailed.
Ruder hit four 3-pointers during a 14-2 run that made it 20-8 with 12 minutes left in the half and a 3 by Rhodes gave the Bears a 45-25 lead 10 minutes later.
Missouri State made 40 of 65 shots, including 12 of 27 from 3-point range, and shot 67.6 percent in the second half.
Quinterian McConico and De’Ederick Petty scored 14 apiece for Alabama A&M.
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