Saturday, December 12, 2015

MSSU women fall 63-61 to Missouri Western

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern women's basketball team came oh, so close to upsetting No. 17 Missouri Western tonight, but the Lions fell just short in the effort, losing 63-61 inside the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph.

The Lions (8-2, 2-2 MIAA) were led in scoring by the double-double effort from Sharese Jones as she scored 24 and pulled down ten rebounds. She went 8-12 from the field and 3-3 from long range, while shooting 5-5 from the free throw line.Desirea Buerge scored 11 points on 3-5 from long range, while Kenya Wilson Brown and Chelsey Henry scored eight points each.

Western (9-0, 4-0 MIAA) had two score in double-figures, led by 24 points from LaQuinta Jefferson.

The Griffons opened up a 6-0 lead to start the game, but a three from Deb Holcomb and a bucket from Jones got the Lions to within one (6-5) with 5:43 left in the first quarter. Western went on a 5-0 run, before a 6-0 run from the Lions tied the game at 11 after one.

A free throw from Bri Shavers gave Southern a 12-11 lead early in the second quarter and the two teams traded buckets for the next three minutes, before a 7-0 run from Southern put the Lions up 22-16 after a pair of freebies from Wilson-Brown with 5:23 to go in the quarter. The game was tied with a minute to go after a three from Buerge, but a pair of free throws from the Griffons gave Western a 30-28 lead at the break.

Southern led by four (37-33) with 4:50 to go in the third quarter after a free throw from Jones. Western, came back and led by four with 2:53 to go, but a three from Jones the next trip down cut the Western lead to one (43-42) with 2:36 to go in the quarter. Neither team would score the rest of the third.

The Griffons opened up the fourth quarter on fire, and led by eight (52-44) after a pair of free throws from Jefferson. Western led by nine (57-48) with 4:58 to go, but that's when the Lions started their come back. A three pointer from Jones with 3:17 to go got Southern within four (57-53) and a pair of free throws from Henry made the score 61-57 with 48 seconds left. Back-to-back layups from Wilson-Brown and Jones, the last coming with three seconds left made the score 62-61, but the Griffons would make one more free throw to seal the win.

Southern shot 36 percent from the field and 73 percent from the free throw line in the game.

The Lions will be back in action on Wednesday night when Southern plays host to No. 3 Emporia State. Tip off fromRobert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 5:30 pm.

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