Wright sets three-point record as MSSU men win 90-54

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

 Austin Wright set a new MSSU single-game record for three-pointers and the Missouri Southern men's basketball team took out visiting Northeastern State 90-54 today in front of more than 2,000 fans on Robert Corn Court at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. 

Southern's (10-5, 4-2 MIAA) Wright led all scorers with 28 points on 9-13 from the field. He was 9-12 from the three-point line, breaking the MSSU record in the process that was held previously by three other players (Skyler Bowlin, Ameer Watts and Dirk Price). Charlie Brown had a career-high 17 points, going 6-7 from the field, 2-2 from the free-throw line and 3-3 from long-range. Taevaunn Prince scored 11 points, while Greg Renfroe had seven points and a team-high six rebounds. 

NSU (3-12, 1-6 MIAA) had three score in double-figures, led by 13 points from Landon DeMasters. Demone Harrison and Dakota Caudill added ten points each.

NSU opened up on an 11-6 run, but an 8-0 run by the Lions, capped by a pair of three's from Wright and gave the Lions a 14-11 lead with just under 12 minutes to go in the first half. A fast-break layup from Lane Barlowwith 7:37 to go in the half gave the Lions a 19-15 lead and a three from Wright pushed the advantage to 24-18 with just under six minutes to go.

Another three from Wright, his sixth of the half, pushed the Lions' run to 19-7 and Southern led 36-18 with just over three minutes to go. A dunk from Renfroe with 1:46 left gave the Lions a 20 point lead (38-18) that they would take into the break. Wright finished the half 6-9 from long range and the Lions dominated the boards with a 30-14 margin at the break. 

A three from Wright with 13:50 to go in the second half put the Lions up 51-31 and tied a MSSU single-game record with his eighth of the game. Wright's ninth three of the game gave the Lions a 66-42 lead with 8:16 to go in the game and gave the junior the MSSU single-game record for three's made. A layup from Bryan Adams off a no-look pass from Randy Clark gave the Lions an 80-51 lead with 2:45 to go in the game. 

The Lions shot 49 percent from the field and 50 percent from long-range, going 11-22 from behind the arc. Southern had a 26-14 advantage in the paint and the Lions scored 21 points off of 16 NSU turnovers. The Southern bench out scored NSU 36-11. The Lions held a 48-29 advantage on the boards. 

The Lions will be back in action on Jan. 15 when Southern travels to Lindenwood for a 7:30 pm tipoff.