Cam Martin scored 45 points and the 14th-ranked Missouri Southern men's basketball team held on to defeat visiting Missouri Western, 97-87 on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Southern (19-5, 12-3 MIAA) was led by Martin's 45 points, the second-highest output in his career and it is third-most in a single-game in MSSU history. Martin added 10 rebounds and two blocks as he went 13-of-27 from the field and 17-of-17 from the free throw line.
Kinzer Lambert scored 18 and added eight rebounds, while Parker Jennings and Elyjah Clark scored 15 each. Clark added eight rebounds, while Jennings had here assists.
Western (14-12, 10-5 MIAA) had four players score in double-figures, led by 30 points from Tyrell Carroll.
The Lions jumped out to a 14-6 lead with 14:44 left in the first half after a pair of freebies from Martin and a layup from Clark with 13 minutes on the clock gave the Lions a 21-10 lead. A three from Lambert at the ten-minute mark put the Lions up 26-14, while a jumper from Braelon Walker with 7:24 left gave the Lions a 31-17 lead.
A layup from Martin with five minutes to go kept the Lions' lead at 11 (35-24), and a three from Martin with three minutes left pushed the lead to 40-26. Lambert made a pair of free throws with 25 seconds left to give the Lions a 45-34 lead and hit three more with 0.07 left on the clock to give the Lions a 48-34 lead going into the locker room.
A jumper from Parker Jennings put the lions up 53-40 with 18:28 left in the second half, and a jumper, followed by a free throw 30 seconds later from Martin gave the Lions a 64-61 lead with 15:51 left in the second half.
A three-point play from Clark with 11:16 left pushed the Southern lead to 14 (71-57), but Western reeled off a 15-6 run and got within five (77-72) after a three with 6:52 left, forcing a Lions' timeout. Clark hit a three with 5:47 to go and Martin knocked home a pair of freebies to put the Lions up 82-72 with five minutes to go. A jumper from Clark and a dunk from Lambert with four minutes left made the score 86-74, Southern.
Western would get as close as eight down the stretch, but the Lions would make their free throws to seal the win.
Southern shot 48 percent from the field and 89 percent from the free throw line, winning the rebound battle 36-34. The Lions forced 13 turnovers and held a 48-38 advantage in the paint.
The Lions will be back in action on Thursday when Southern travels to Maryville to take on No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri. Tip off from Bearcat Arena is slated for 7:30 pm.
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