MSSU men lose to Northeastern State 83-80

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Tahlequah, Okla. - A career night from Braelon Walker wasn't enough as the Missouri Southern men's basketball team fell 83-80 on the road at Northeastern State inside the NSU Event Center.

Southern (13-4, 4-3 MIAA) was led by a pair of 20-point performances from Walker and Cam Martin. Walker was nearly perfect, going 6-of-8 from the field, 4-of-4 from long-range and 4-of-4 from the free throw line for a career-high 20 points. Martin scored 24 points and added ten rebounds as he went 12-of-14 from the free throw line. Elyjah Clark added 12 points, while Reggie Tharp had ten points and four assists. Kinzer Lambert had nine points.

Northeastern State (8-8, 2-5 MIAA) had three score in double-figures, led by 22 points from Bradley George.

Both teams traded baskets early on, but a pair of freebies from Walker gave the Lions a 10-6 lead with 15:22 left in the first half. NSU tied the game and again, both teams would trade baskets and leads until a pair of threes from the RiverHawks put NSU up 27-22 with 4:51 left in the half.

Southern got within four (33-29) after a three from Walker with 48 seconds on the clock, but NSU would take a 36-31 lead into the locker room at the break.

NSU jumped out to an eight-point lead (42-34) just two minutes into the second half and a jumper from Smith gave the RiverHawks a ten-point lead (47-37) with 15:55 to go. The NSU lead was nine (55-46) with 12:28 left in regulation, but free throws from Clark and Martin got the Lions within three (58-55) with ten minutes on the clock.

A three from Walker got the Lions within three (64-61), but NSU pushed the lead back to six (70-64) with five minutes to go. Another bucket from the RiverHawks with just under four gave NSU an eight-point advantage (74-66), but a three from Lambert and a pair of free throws from Clark got the Lions within one (74-73) with 2:15 to go.

Free throws from Tharp kept the deficit at one (76-75) with just under two on the clock, but the RiverHawks again surged ahead, leading 80-75 with a minute to go. A layup from Tharp with 28 seconds to go, got the Lions within three (81-78), and a turnover by NSU gave the Lions the ball back with 27 seconds on the clock. After turnovers by both teams, the Lions had the ball with under 15 seconds on the clock and eventually called a timeout with nine seconds left, trailing by three.

Martin made two free throws to make the score 81-80, NSU, and the Lions would foul on the next possession. NSU made both free throws, giving the Lions the ball, trailing by three with 5.8 seconds on the clock. A last-second shot would not go.

Southern shot 45 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free throw line. But the Lions just couldn't stop a hot-hitting NSU squad that shot at a 66 percent clip from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc. NSU shot 71 percent in the second half.

Southern will be back in action this Saturday as the Lions travel to Central Oklahoma. Tip off from Edmond is slated for 3:30 pm.