MSSU women win third in a row, defeat Lincoln 63-58

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Women (11-4, 5-3 MIAA) pushed their win streak to three with a 63-58 win Saturday afternoon over the Lincoln Blue Tigers (6-8, 1-7 MIAA).

Four Lions scored in double figures as Sharese Jones led the quartet with 12. Tami Morice, Jolee Sharp, andLex Fitzpatrick each added 10.

After shooting 39.3 percent (11-28) from the floor in the first half the Lions came out in the second and shot 12-24 for 50 percent and finished 23-52 for 44.2 percent for the game.

The game saw eight lead changes and nine ties before a three point play from Jones would give Southern the lead for good at 61-58 with 13 seconds to play. Sharp rebounded the ensuing Lincoln miss and went to the free throw line for a 1-and-1 after being fouled with 1.2 seconds left.

The last Lincoln lead came with 15:50 to play in the game as Morice hit a three to cut the lead to one at 36-35. Following a Blue Tiger turnover, Morice would but in a lay-up following an offensive rebound after a three point miss from Camila Lacerda to give Southern a 37-36 lead with 15:07 to play. The Southern lead would get pushed to nine at 51-42 with 8:56 to play as the Lions went on a 13-4 run that included a bank three and layup form Morice and another five from Fitzpatrick.

Lincoln would then go on a 9-0 run of their own to tie the game for the eighth time before Nic Hartzog would hit a running jumper in the paint and Sharp connected on a turn around jumper form the left block and a free throw from Jordan Dinyer to give Southern a 58-53 lead with 1:09 to play. Lincoln's Kelsey Williams would answer with five points of her own to tie the game for the ninth time at 58-58 with 41 seconds left. Sharp would find Jones on the right block for the layup and foul to give the Lions the lead for good at 61-58. The two free throws from Sharp with 1.2 seconds left would make the final 63-58 tally.

Jones finished the game 5-10 from the floor with five rebounds, with Dinyer pulling down five boards as well.

Next up for Southern will be Northwest Missouri (6-12, 2-7 MIAA) on Wednesday night at 5:30 pm on Robert Corn Court inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.