The Missouri Southern Lions (13-5, 7-4 MIAA) dominated on the boards as they defeated Southwest Baptist (7-11, 3-8 MIAA) 79-61 Thursday night inside the Meyer Sports Center in Bolivar.
After trailing by five twice in the early going, the Lions rebounded and tied the game at 11-11 on a layup fromSharese Jones and took the lead for good at the 13:50 mark on an and one from Nic Hartzog for the 14-11 lead.
Southern pushed its lead up to 11, 36-25, with 3:11 to play in the half as Camila Lacerda put back a fastbreak layup miss from Hartzog. SBU would then go on a 6-0 run to close the half and narrow the lead to five at 36-31.
For the half Southern out shot the Bearcats 51.7 percent (15-29) to 47.8 percent (11-23) from the floor, however SBU had the advantage at the free throw line going 8-8 while the Lions were only 1-1.
On the first posession of the second half Lacerda sank a layup to end the SBU run and the Lions pushed their lead up to 12 at 49-37 on a jumper from Lex Fitzpatrick. SBU went on a 7-2 run to get the closest since an 11-9 lead in the first half, at 51-47 with 11:13 to play. Southern answered with a 14-4 run to open a 65-51 lead following a pair of freebies from Jones.
SBU got within 10 after a pair of free throws from Mackenzie Skupa with 2:56 to play before the Lions went on a 10-2 run, all from the free throw line, over the last three minutes to make the final 79-61.
Three Lions scored in double figures as Hartzog led with 19, Jones added 17, and Lacerda with 12. Jones narrowly missed her sixth double-double of the season as she pulled down nine rebounds.
For the game Southern finished 26-50 from the field, 52 percent, 6-13 from downtown, 46.2 percent, and 21-25 from the free throw line, 84 percent. The Lions went 20-24 from the charity stripe in the second half alone.
The Lions will return home to Robert Corn Court inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on Saturday as they host the Jennies of Central Missouri in a 1:00 pm contest.
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