CLAREMORE, Okla. – Cam Martin scored a season-high 38 points and Christian Bundy posted his first-ever double-double with a career-high 25 points and the Missouri Southern men’s basketball program took out Rogers State 96-87 inside the Claremore Expo Center.
Southern (7-6, 7-6 MIAA) had four score in double-figures led by Martin and Bundy. Martin went 11-of-16 from the field and 13-of-13 from the free throw line for 38 points and eight rebounds, while dishing out five assists. The 38 points put Martin in fifth-place in the all-time scoring list at MSSU with 1,794 points in just three years in the Green and Gold. Martin also went over 700 rebounds in his career and has 705 after the night, while the one block he had give him 92 blocks and puts him in fifth-place all-time in that category.
Bundy was on fire in the first half and finished the night with 25 points and 10 rebounds, going 8-of-12 from the field, 4-of-5 from long-range and 5-of-7 form the free throw line. Lawson Jenkins scored 16 with five made three’s, while Stan Scott chipped in 12 points and seven boards.
RSU (6-7, 6-7 MIAA) had five in double-figures led by 23 points from Devin Pullum.
Both teams traded baskets early on, but a pair of freebies from Scott with 16:02 on the clock put the Lions on top 10-9. Bundy then went to work. Already with a three-pointer, Bundy connected on back-to-back-to-back three’s to put the Lions up 19-11 with 13 minutes to go. A pair of freebies from Martin with 12:31 left put the Lions up 21-11, but RSU answered back with a 9-0 run to get within a point (21-20) with ten to go.
Southern led 25-22 after a pair of free throws from Martin with 8:51 left, but three-straight freebies from the Hillcats tied the game at 25 with eight to go. The teams traded baskets for the rest of the half and Southern went into the locker room, trailing 43-40.
Bundy was perfect from the floor in the first half going 6-for-6 from the field and 4-for-4 from long-range.
Martin started the second half with a bucket to get the Lions within one and a bucket from Martin with 15:35 from Martin put the Lions in front 51-49 before a dunk from Scott extended the lead to four (53-49) the next trip down. A four-point play from Jenkins with 13 minutes to go put the Lions up 59-53, but the Hillcats went on an 8-0 run to lead 61-59 after a three-pointer with 11:58 on the clock.
Jenkins’ fourth three of the half put the Lions up 69-68 with 8:33 left, while a three from Martin and a bucket from Scott put the Lions up 74-70 with 5:55 to go. A pair of free throws from Bundy with 4:18 to go put the Lions up three (77-74) and a three from Martin gave the Lions an 80-76 leads with 3:43 to go.
Two freebies from Martin, a three from Jenkins and a three-point play from Scott put the Lions up 88-79 with 1:52 to go. A three from Avery Taggart with under a minute to go put the Lions up 91-83 and a dunk from Bundy with 28 seconds left put the game away.
The Lions shot 49 percent from the field, 46 percent from long-range and 85 percent from the free throw line. Southern had a 40-29 advantage on the boards.
Next up for the Lions will be Northeastern State as Southern will travel to Tahlequah on Saturday. Tip off is set for 3:30 pm.
