ST. LOUIS — Julian Larry dribbled the ball up the court beneath a scoreboard that flashed an Indiana State lead of six points and dwindling. He stared ahead into a subdued Sycamores band and fan base that made the trek to the Enterprise Center in St. Louis to watch an upstart squad that now holds the No. 1 seed in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

They all needed the ice to break.

So Indiana State's point guard zipped the ball inside to Robbie Avila, the man who normally dominates these games but couldn't against Missouri State's brick wall in the post. The pass was too quick, the reaction too smooth, the ball too clean off the glass and through the hoop.

It was as if, in that moment, Indiana State rediscovered why it was the No. 1 seed — how it moves faster than the rest of the conference, a truth that manifests itself in the search for answers. Those eventually came in a 75-59 victory that advanced the Sycamores to Saturday's MVC semifinals vs. Northern Iowa.

"You've just got to be able to find the matchups," said Indiana State guard Ryan Conwell, a Pike graduate. "They would switch off sometimes and we would go into the post on Robbie or a slower guy. One of their bigs would get on one of the guards. It's about attacking the different matchups to be able to score like that."

Four straight layups scored for the Sycamores, and with a 12-point lead with just over seven minutes remaining, Larry roared into a crowd that felt like it had the team back that it has loved all season.

"You're basically pitting your size against our speed and hoping that size overwhelms the speed," said Josh Schertz, who was just named the MVC's coach of the year.

MORE: 3 reasons Indiana State beat Missouri State to open MVC tournament

This is who Indiana State has become in a season with 27 wins, pushing for the program's first NCAA tournament berth since 2011, just two years after winning 11 games. It's known nationally for its goggled star. Robbie Avila draws comparisons to Nikola Jokic for his lumbering style, smooth shot and next-level court vision. But the Sycamores have used more than that to become the No. 1 effective field goal percentage offense in the country.

Missouri State, which entered 17-15, had the potential to become a buzzsaw. The Bears featured 6-8 Donovan Clay, 6-9 Cesare Edwards and 6-8 N.J. Benson, who all had the athleticism to play much bigger. For stretches, they were scooping nearly every defensive rebound and bullying their way inside for free throws. Benson finished with five blocked shots.

As Indiana State guards Conwell and Isaiah Swope struggled with their shots, finishing 4-of-19 from beyond the arc, the game had the feel of an underdog leveling up to the titan through sheer force of will. The Bears' season was going to end with a loss, which would potentially end the six-year coaching run for Dana Ford.

By halftime, the Bears had pulled the Sycamores into a rock fight, trailing 34-31.

But Indiana State was determined it was more than just a team built around one star. Avila struggled relative to his lofty personal standard, scoring 14 points on 12 shots and amassing just two rebounds in 32 minutes.

But he whipped passes from the post to the arc that put other faces in position to become stars. Larry and Jayson Kent both hit 3-pointers early in the second half as Indiana State assisted on 10 of its first 11 baskets, right as a game twisted from a tone of power and size to one of speed and chemistry.

"Everyone can shoot," Ford said of the Sycamores. "Today, Julian Larry as well as Jayson Kent made shots from 3, and when those two guys are making 3s, then they can really, really shoot it."

In a battle of size versus speed, this also became a test of versatility, of which team could level up to the other's style in order to change the trajectory.

Larry kept the Bears from finding any life on the perimeter, harassing Missouri State star Alston Mason into a game of 4-of-14 shooting with just two assists.

"In my opinion, he was the best player on the court," Schertz said.

Kent found a way to bring life on the boards, skying up and over thicker opponents to reel in 14 rebounds, more than any player on Missouri State.

"We've got the best three guards in the league, and with my size, I've gotta do some of the dirty work," Kent said. "... We have somewhat of a mismatch, but if I can get in there and get some rebounds and help us, that's what I'll do."

This is a team that's past learning what it is. Now, the Sycamores are learning how to force that identity onto opponents designed to break them down. They have the target in this tournament, and teams like Missouri State are taking dead aim.

But, at least for now, Indiana State is the program with the answers.

Contact Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana State shows how Robbie Avila is only a slice of the team it is