Walker scores 25 as MSSU men defeat Emporia State 80-77

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern men's basketball team came-from-behind for the second game in a row and defeated visiting Emporia State, 80-77 tonight on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Southern (16-4, 7-3 MIAA) was led by a career night for Braelon Walker as he hit 25 points, including four three-pointers. Kinzer Lambert had 15 points, while Elyjah Clark scored 12. Cam Martin had 11 points and 14 rebounds, his 12th double-double of the season. Enis Memic had 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. Reggie Tharp had seven points and nine rebounds.

ESU (7-11, 2-7 MIAA) had four score in double-figures, led by 22 points from Julius Jackson off the bench.

The two teams traded points and lead throughout most of the first half, before the Lions opened up a 29-23 lead with 4:39 left on a layup from Tharp. Southern led 35-31 late in the half, but a three from the Hornets with four seconds left in the half made the halftime score 35-34, Lions.

Emporia opened up the half on an 11-0 run and led the Lions 45-35 with 17:06 left in the half. The Lions answered and cut the lead to five (50-45) after a pair of free throws from Walker with 12:54 left, while a bucket rom Clark with 12:22 to go made it 50-47.

ESU went back up 56-49 with 10:32 left, and the Hornets led by eight (61-53), but the Lions got a three from Martin, and then a three from Lambert to cut the lead to just five (64-59) with 8:32 to go. A three from Walker with 5:56 to go in the half cut the lead to one (67-66), and a bucket from Walker with 3:15 to go gave the Lions a 71-70 lead.

After ESU went back up 72-71, a pair of freebies from Martin gave the Lions a 73-72 lead right back. The Lions led 75-74 and had the ball with just more than 30 seconds to go and two seconds on the shot clock before Walker hit a three out of the in-bounds play to put the Lions up 78-74. ESU hit a three their trip down, but the Lions made free throws to secure the win.

The Lions shot 43 percent from the field and 79 percent from the free throw line.

Southern will be back in action on January 31 as the Lions head to Missouri Western. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 pm.