Saturday, January 9, 2016

MSSU women defeat Central Missouri 62-59

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern women's basketball team used a 9-0 run late in the third quarter to pull away and held on to defeat visiting Central Missouri 62-59 on Robert CornCourt inside the Leggrett & Platt Athletic Center today.

Southern (11-6, 5-5 MIAA) was led in scoring by Deb Holcombwith 18 points as she added a career-high seven assists.Sharese Jones had 16 points and eight rebounds, while Desirea Buerge scored 13 points and added a career-high eight rebounds.

Central (5-8, 4-4 MIAA) was led by 24 points from Shelby Winkelman. Ashley Jones had ten points and 15 rebounds.

Central had a five-point lead (9-4) after a layup from Winkelman with 6:03 left in the first quarter, but a layup from Holcomb as time expired in the quarter cut the Central lead to just one (15-14).

A layup from Dru Clark with 17:31 left in the quarter gave the Lions a 16-15 lead, but Central answered back the next trip down and led from that point on in the half. The Jennies led by as many as six (22-16) with 4:15 left in the half, but a layup from Tami Morice with 1:31 to go made the halftime score 22-20, UCM.

After the halftime break, the Lions made their move. A layup from Buerge with 7:18 left in the quarter tied the score at 28 and a three from Jones with 6:19 to go gave the Lions a 31-30 lead. A jumper from Holcomb with 3:12 left in the quarter capped off a 9-0 run by the Lions and gave Southern a 37-30 lead. The lead would be 41-36 at the end of the quarter.

A three from Winkelman gave UCM the lead back at 52-49 with just under four minutes to play in the game, but a three-point play from Holcomb with 2:52 to go gave the Lions back the lead at 54-53.

After a Central bucket, an offensive rebound and a put back from Jones with two to go made the score 56-55, Lions and a three from Buerge with 1:30 to go gave the Lions a four-point advantage (59-55). On the ensuing possession, the Lions forced a defensive stop and after the rebound, Holcomb was fouled, making one of the two free throws.

A three from the Jennies cut the Lions' lead to 60-59 with 20 seconds to go and a turnover by the Lions on the in bounds play gave the ball back to Central with 19.3 seconds to go. However, solid defense from the Lions forced a bad shot from Central and Jones made both free throws to put Southern up 62-59 with 0.7 seconds on the clock. A last-second shot for the Jennies was no good.

Southern shot 38 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line. Southern forced 15 UCM turnovers and scored 15 points off of the miscues.

The Lions will be back in action a week from today as Southern travels to Pittsburg State. Tip off from John Lance Arena is slated for 1:30 pm.

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