MSSU men fall to Northeastern State 90-89

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

A turnaround jumper as time expired was ruled no-good and the 21st ranked Missouri Southern men's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker, 90-89 to visiting Northeastern State on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Southern (3-2, 3-2 MIAA) was led offensively by Cam Martin with 26 points and eight rebounds. Martin dished out six assists and added two blocks and a steal. Stan Scott scored 18 points, while Christian Bundy and Lawson Jenkins added 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Northeastern State (1-1, 1-1 MIAA) was led by Caleb Williams who scored 36 points on 7-of-13 from the three-point line.

Both teams traded points before the Lions got a layup from Bundy and a pair of freebies from Martin to post a 10-6 lead with 17:50 to go in the half. A jumper from RJ Smith and a bucket from Martin off an assist from Smith pushed the lead to 14-8 a minute later.

NSU went ahead 20-19 with a jumper from Williams with 13:37 to go on the clock, but a three from Lawson Jenkins with ten minutes to go gave the Lions a 26-23 lead. The two teams traded baskets, but NSU went on an 11-2 run to take a 41-33 lead with five minutes on the clock and a three from Williams with 3:31 left pushed the lead to ten (44-34). A pair of free throws from Scott as the half was winding down made the halftime score 48-41, NSU.

A layup from Bundy a minute into the second half got the Lions within two (48-46), but a quick 4-0 run from the RiverHawks gave NSU a 52-46 lead one minute later. A three from NSU pushed the lead to seven (57-50), but a 4-0 run from the Lions got Southern back to within three.

A three from Scott with 12:05 on the clock got the Lions back within two (61-59) and a three from Keryn Collins with ten on the clock tied the game at 68. A three from Kyle Younge gave the Lions a 71-70 lead and a steal and fast-break bucket from Martin the next trip down pushed the lead to 73-70.

A three-point play from Collins kept the lead at three (75-72), but a pair of free throws for NSU put the RiverHawks up 89-86 with under two minutes on the clock.

Williams made one-of-two free throws with eight seconds on the clock to give NSU a 90-89 lead. The Lions brought the ball up the court and worked a play to Martin at the right wing and his turn-around jumper which went in was waived off to end the game.

Southern shot 53 percent from the field and held a 42-25 advantage in rebounds. The Lions assisted on 20 of their 31 made baskets.

Southern will be back in action this Saturday as the Lions play host to Rogers State. Tip off from the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is set for 3:30 pm.

Turnbull, Stokes pace MSSU women past Northeastern State 70-64

 

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Carley Turnbull scored 27 points and Madi Stokes pulled down 16 rebounds as the Missouri Southern women's basketball team rode a strong fourth quarter and defeated Northeastern State 70-64 on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center tonight.

Southern (2-3, 2-3 MIAA) was led by Turnbull's career night as a Lion as she went 12-of-23 from the field, adding four assists and two steals to go with the 27 points. 

Stokes went 5-of-8 from the field and scored 10 points with 16 rebounds, including five on the offensive boards. Kaitlin Hunnicutt scored ten points off the bench, while Biance Stocks dished out six assists.

Northeastern State (2-1, 2-1 MIAA) was led by Shae Sanchez with 18 points.

The two teams were tied at four early in the first, before the Lions went on a 10-4 run and led 12-8 after a jumper from Turnbull with 3:11 to go in the quarter. Another bucket from Turnbull and a layup from Zoe Cambpell off a pass from Biance Stocks pushed the Southern lead to 16-11 with two minutes to go and the Lions took a 17-13 lead after one.

The RiverHawks tied the score at 23 on a three with 5:38 to go in the quarter but a three from Kaitlin Hunnicutt with 4:23 on the clock made the score 28-24, Lions. A jumper from Turnbull off another Stocks assist with 2:20 to go pushed the Southern lead to eight (34-26), but NSU closed the half on a 9-1 run to tie the score at 35 going into the locker room.

Turnbull finished the half with 16 points, while the Lions shot 44 percent from the field as a team.

The third quarter saw the teams fight back-and-forth with the largest lead being five for NSU with 1:26 left. The Lions, however, scored four-straight to end the period trailing 52-51.

A three from Turnbull, block from Stokes, as well as back-to-back fast-break buckets from the Lions, with a steal for Turnbull in the mix, and the Lions turn a 54-53 deficit into a 60-54 lead and force a NSU timeout with seven minutes to go. A jumper from Stokes off another Stocks' assist (her sixth) pushed the Lions' lead to eight (64-56).

Southern led by eight (70-62) with a minute to go and the Lions finished off the 70-64 win.

The Lions shot 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from long-range, while making 73 percent of their free throws. Southern won the rebound battle with a 40-35 advantage and held a 36-30 advantage in the paint.

Southern will be back in action this Saturday as the Lions play host to Rogers State. Tip off from the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is set for 1:30 pm.

MSSU men return home against Northeastern State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The 21st ranked Missouri Southern men's basketball team will be back inside the friendly confines of the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center this Thursday. Tip off from Joplin is set for 7:30 pm.

Game Information

Teams: #21 Missouri Southern (3-1, 3-1 MIAA) vs. Northeastern State (0-1, 0-1 MIAA)
Date: Dec. 3, 2020
Tip-Off: 7:30 pm
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Robert Corn Court/Leggett & Platt Athletic Center
Series Record: Southern leads the series 24-18
Coaches: Jeff Boschee (127-62 overall/at MSSU - 7th year). Ja Havens (131-75 overall/0-1 at NSU - 8th year)

The Series

Southern has won ten out of the last 14 meetings between the two schools and hold an overall record of 24-18 against the RiverHawks.The Lions' 77-69 overtime win at home in 2006 stopped a three-game losing streak to the RiverHawks. Southern had won just three times in Tahlequah, but the Lions picked up a win at Jack Dobbins Fieldhouse in 2012 and in 2014. The Lions are 18-5 at home, 3-13 on the road and 3-0 in a neutral site against the RiverHawks.

Back At The Helm

Head coach Jeff Boschee has finished his Covid quarantine and will be back on the sidelines this week to coach the Lions.

MIAA Team Stat Leaders

So far this year, the Lions lead the MIAA in three point attempts, total three pointers made, total assists, total blocks, total rebounds, and total steals, while ranking second in free throw attempts and made.

MIAA Individual Stat Leaders

Winston Dessesow leads the MIAA in three point attempts, while ranking second in total field goal attempts and total minutes. Dessesow ranks third in total field goals made. Cam MArtin leads the MIAA in double-doubles, total field goal attempts and total field goals made, total minutes, total points and total rebounds. Martin is second in total three pointers made, while Stan Scott ranks second in total field goals made and total points, while ranking third in total field goal attempts, total minute and total rebounds. RJ Smith is second in total rebounds.

New Career Highs

Against Newman, both Kyle Young (23 points) and Stan Scott (19 points) set their individual career-highs for single-game scoring.

National Ranking

The Lions are ranked No. 21 in the NABC preseason poll. In the history of the NABC Poll, the Lions have been ranked 79 times, including 23-consecutive weeks at one time. The team has been No. 1 once (in the 2011 season). Southern is at No. 25 in the D2SIDA preseason poll.

Up Next

The Lions will continue their home stand as Southern will play host to Rogers State this Saturday, Dec. 5 at 3:30 pm