Saturday, January 11, 2014

MSSU women nip Northeastern State 80-77 in OT

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Tahlequah, Okla. - Behind 34 points from the frontcourt tandem of Shonte Clay and Dominique Mosley, the Missouri Southern Lions women's basketball team outscored Northeastern State 10-7 in overtime to take home a 80-77 win over the RiverHawks this afternoon at the NSU Event Center.
The Lions (10-3, 4-2 MIAA) got 20 points from Clay on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 14 points from Mosley on 6-of-11 shooting. In addition, Sharese Jones chipped in 15 points, including going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.  Alexis Fitzpatrick and Shawnee Phillips also ended the game in double figures as they finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Three Lions finished with six rebounds apiece while Samantha Soyez, the MIAA leader in assists, finished with a game-high six assists.
The RiverHawks (6-7, 3-3) were led in scoring by Che'Ron Lewis with 15 points. Sarah Sagely added 13 points while Chelsey Beathard chipped in 11 points. Carrington Fox grabbed a team-high six rebounds, while Jamie Jackson dished four assists.
After the Lions took an initial 5-4 lead after the first two minutes of play, the RiverHawks went on 21-9 over the next ten and half minutes to take their largest lead of the game at 25-14 with 7:27 to play in the first half. Looking to match Northeastern State's run, the Lions responded with a 15-7 run of their own, including seven consecutive, to close out the first half and pull them within three at 32-29.
Continuing their hot finish to the first half, the Lions picked up right where they left off in the first five minutes of the second half going on a 16-6 run to take a 45-38 lead. That run featured a pair of three pointers from Fitzpatrick, six points from Mosley, and four from Jones. After a layup by Clay gave the Lions their largest lead of the game at 54-44, the RiverHawks responded with a 14-2 run of their own, including 12 straight, to re-take a 58-56 lead with 6:17 to play in the second half.
Working to get the momentum back, Fitzpatrick nailed a three-pointer from the top of the key to give the Lions a lead they would not relinquish going up 59-58. Scoring seven of the next 10 points, Southern opened up a 66-61 lead with 3:35 to play, but the RiverHawks would use two quick layups and a three-pointer from Courtney Cowan to tie the game at 68 with a minute to play. After NSU hit a pair of free throws, Clay again would come through with a big play as she hit a layup with 16 second to go to tie the game.
With the RiverHawks missing a chance to win the game at the buzzer, the game went to overtime where the Lions would seize control as Phillips scored six of the Lions ten points to secure the overtime win. Missouri Southern opened up the extra five minutes scoring eight of the first ten points to go up 78-72, but the RiverHawks continued to fight getting two layups and a free throw to pull within one with four second to play, but Phillips would hit both free throws to seal the game.
The Lions shot 27-56 (.482) from the field on the afternoon, including 13-of-22 in the second half, while hitting a season-best 90.9% (20-of-22) from the free throw line. Southern outrebounded Northeastern State 38-22 while dishing 16 assists and nabbing nine steals.
Southern returns home on Wednesday as they continue MIAA action hosting Lindenwood (8-6, 3-4) at 5:30 p.m. at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

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