ST. LOUIS -- Chris Kendrix hit five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points, and Ryan Kreklow hit a late 3 to help seventh-seeded Missouri State beat No. 10 seed Drake 69-67 Thursday night in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.
The Bears will play second-seeded Evansville (23-8) in the quarterfinals Friday.
Kreklow scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, and Dequon Miller had 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Missouri State.
Drake (7-23) scored five-straight points to take a 66-64 lead with 1:48 to play and Kreklow answered with a 3-pointer 17 seconds later.