Sunday, November 16, 2014

MSSU men fall in overtime to University of Sioux Falls

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Despite being down as many as 14 second-half points, the Missouri Southern men's basketball team came back to force overtime, but fell in the extra period, 88-83 to the University of Sioux Falls at the Sanford Pentagon Classic.

Southern (0-2) was led offensively by a game-high 25 points from Lane Barlow (pictured) as he went 8-12 from the field, 2-5 from long range and 7-8 from the free-throw line. He added four rebounds and five assists. Cameron Cornelius had 18 points, while Greg Renfroe scored ten and pulled down five rebounds.

USF (1-1) outscored the Lions 15-10 in the overtime period and had five players score in double-figures, led by 23 from Mack Johnson.

Both teams traded points early on, but the Cougars went ahead when a free throw from Bryan Kielpinski gave USF a 13-12 lead with 13 minutes left in the first half. The Cougars' lead reached eight (20-12) with 11:36 left in the half. The lead was nine, twice, the last being at 28-19 with 6:31 left in the half, but that was before the Lions started their comeback.

Southern went on a 14-8 run over the next four and a half minutes and a layup from Renfroe cut the lead to three (36-33) with just under two minutes to go in the half. A dunk from Devin Spencer and a layup fromTaevaunn Prince as time expired, ran the Lions' run to 18-8 to end the half and sent Southern into the locker room up 37-36.

USF started the second half on fire and the Cougars opened up a 14-point lead (55-41) after a dunk from Jordan Stotts with 14:37 left to go in the game. The USF lead was ten (66-56) with 6:27 to go, but an 8-0 run from the Lions, capped off by a jumper from Cornelius cut the lead to just two (66-64) with 3:34 left.

A free-throw from Barlow with 1:23 left gave the Lions a one-point lead (69-68) and another jumper from Barlow put Southern on top by one again (71-70) with 45 seconds to go. A pair of free-throws from the Cougars put USF on top 72-71 with 23 seconds to go, but Renfroe was fouled after an offensive rebound and the big man made both attempts to put the Lions up 73-72 with 16 seconds to go. A free-throw from the Cougars' Charles Ward tied the game at 73 and forced overtime.

USF shot 80 percent in the overtime period and never trailed after Ward hit a jumper on the Cougars' first possession.

Southern shot 48 percent from the field and the Lions' bench outscored USF 31-17. The game was tied 12 times and there were 12 lead changes.

The Lions will be back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 19 when Southern travels to Arkansas-Fort Smith. Tipoff is slated for 7 pm from the Stubblefield Center is slated for 7 pm.

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