MSSU men lose 84-83 in overtime to Fort Hays

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern men's basketball team out scored Fort Hays State by ten in the second half to force overtime, but the Lions could not complete the comeback, falling 84-83 in overtime inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Southern (8-6, 5-3 MIAA) was led by Taevaunn Prince with 26 points and eight rebounds. Prince went 8-8 from the free throw line. DJ Feitl scored 17 points on 5-9 shooting, whileCharlie Brown and Austin Wright had 15 and 13 points, respectively. Wright had three three-pointers on the night, giving him 215 in his career and moving into second place all-time in career three's, passing Jason Adams. He is now nine from tying Skyler Bowlin for the all-time lead.

Hays (11-2, 5-2 MIAA) was led by Dom Samac with 21 points, while Rob Davis scored 20 and Craig Nicholson added 17. Samac had ten rebounds, while Jake Stoppel added ten points and 11 boards.

Both teams traded baskets early on and a three from Brown with 12:31 left in the first half gave the Lions a 14-13 lead. The Tigers went up 20-16 at the 8:38 mark and led 28-21 with 5:18 to go after a pair of free throws from Hadley Gillum.

The lead was ten (36-26) with 3:31 to go and the Lions went into the locker room at the halftime break trailing 42-32.

FHSU led 48-40 with 17:47 to go in the half, but the Lions went on a 21-15 run to get within two (63-61) after a layup from Prince with 8:39 left in the game. The Tigers then opened up an 11-point lead (74-63) with 4:28 left, before Southern got to within four (74-70) on a three from Brown with 2:43 to go.

A three-point play from Prince with just under two to go got the Lions within three (76-73) and a three from Bruce Marshall after a defensive stop tied the game at 76 with 29 seconds to go. Hays lost the ball on the next possession and the Lions tried a last-second shot that did not go to force overtime.

Southern won the tip to start overtime and Prince hit a bucket to give Southern a 78-76 lead, the first lead of the game for the Lions since 12:31 of the first half. Another bucket from Prince the next trip down pushed the Southern lead to 80-76. After a three from the Tigers, Taylor Luster answered back with a three of his own to make the score 83-79, Lions.

A pair of free throws from Stoppel tied the game at 83 with 49 seconds to go and Nicholson went 1-2 at the line the next trip down, giving the Lions the ball with three seconds left, trailing 84-83. A last-second shot was not good and the Lions could not complete the comeback.

Hays out scored the Lions 48-18 in the paint, but Southern forced 13 FHSU turnovers, scoring 12 points off the miscues. The Lions shot 39 percent from the field and 92 percent from the free throw line.

Southern will be back in action on Thursday night, when the Lions play host to Southwest Baptist. Tip off from Robert CornCourt inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 7:30 pm.