The Missouri State Bears were able to convert three Indiana State turnovers into 14 points and accumulated five sacks to turn back the visiting Sycamores, 31-7, here Saturday in MVFC action.

The win improved the Bears' record to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, while Indiana State fell to 1-9 and 1-6 in the league. It marked the fourth time this season that MSU has responded from a loss with a victory the following week.

The Bears got on the board first, driving 71 yards on 15 plays on their first possession of the game that set up a 27-yard field goal by senior Matt Hottelman to jump out to a 3-0 advantage. MSU passed nine times on its opening drive, accounting for nearly 40 percent of its pass attempts for the game.

Midway through the second quarter, the Bears struck again when Cedric Alvis forced the ball loose from ISU running back Antoine Brown at the Sycamores' 30-yard line, and Michael Keck recovered. Five plays later, Cody Kirby hit Jared Emery for an 11-yard touchdown strike to make it 10-0. It was Emery's fourth career TD reception, and Kirby's 37th career touchdown pass, a Missouri State record.

In the second half, Kirby led the Bears to paydirt again on their opening drive of the third quarter. MSU took advantage of a short field after a sky kick by ISU on the opening kickoff of the half set up coach Terry Allen's team at the Missouri State 48. Seven plays later, Kirby carried it into the end zone himself to put the Bears up 17-0.

The Bears put the game out of reach moments later when the Sycamores' first play of the half was intercepted by Cedric Alvis at the ISU 43 and returned to the 16. Six plays later, Chris Douglas scored on a rush from 15 yards out to make it 24-0.

After Indiana State reserve quarterback Chris Stutzriem capped a nine-play, 63-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown carry at the 5:27 mark of the fourth quarter to break up the shutout, Douglas scored again for the Bears on the very next play. The MSU sophomore tailback scampered 43 yards for the longest rush of his career to make it 31-7.

Douglas became the first Bear this season to score multiple touchdowns in a game, putting an exclamation point on a career day with a game-high 72 yards. The Bears matched a season rushing best with 4.2 yards per carry as its backfield by committee collected 164 yards on 39 carries with three touchdowns.

Kirby finished 16-for-22 for 158 yards and a touchdown as he improved to 8-8 at home as a starter, and Missouri State evened its all-time record at 438-438-39.

Jermaine Saffold and Cadarrius Dotson led the MSU receivers with five receptions apiece, career highs for both players.

Indiana State's three quarterbacks combined for 192 yards, including 82 by starter Ryan Roberts, while Brown's 16 carries for 47 yards led the Sycamores.

Also of note for Missouri State, Antoine Wilkinson finished with a game-high 13 tackles which put him over 100 tackles on the season, making him the first Bear to reach that milestone since Darryl Johnson in 2004. Wilkinson also had an interception in the game, while defensive lineman Mikel Ruder posted a career-high 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks.

The Bears will look for their first seven-win season since 1996 when they wrap up their 2009 campaign next Saturday in Carbondale, Ill., as they take on the league regular season champion Southern Illinois club. The Salukis improved to 8-1 and 6-0 in the league with its 34-15 win at South Dakota State Saturday.