JOPLIN – The Missouri Southern women’s basketball team utilized a big third quarter and defeated the visiting Lincoln Blue Tigers 70-65 tonight on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Southern (7-9, 7-9 MIAA) was led in scoring by Carley Turnbull who tallied 19 points and five rebounds. Amaya Johns scored 12, while Biance Stocks and Kaitlin Hunnicutt had eight each. Brooke Stauffer had a career-high six assists to lead the Lions in that category. Madi Stokes had a game-high nine rebounds and six points.
Lincoln (1-13, 1-13 MIAA) had three score in double-figures led by 18 points from Niyah Jackson.
The two teams traded baskets for most of the first quarter, but a 6-2 run to end the quarter for the Lions, capped by a layup from Johns as time was expiring put Southern up 16-12 after one.
The Lions led 21-14 a minute into the second quarter after a three from Layne Skiles, but the Blue Tigers took a 22-21 lead after a layup with 4:24 to go on the clock. Back-and-forth scoring for both teams highlighted the quarter, but a layup from Anna Hall with 1:23 left was the last scoring of the half and the Lions trailed 28-27 at the break.
A layup from Stokes to open the third quarter put the Lions up 29-28 and after the score was tied at 30, Southern went on a 13-6 run to open up a 43-36 lead after a jumper from Johns with three minutes to go. A three from Hunnicutt and back-to-back buckets from Turnbull put the Lions up 50-38 as the quarter neared its end, but a last-second layup from Lincoln made the score 50-40 after three.
A jumper from the Blue Tigers got Lincoln within three (54-51) with 6:24 to go and a layup from Turnbull with 3:18 left put the Lions up 61-57. Lincoln got within five (69-65) with 9.1 seconds left after a free throw, but the Lions were able to hold on for the win.
The Lions shot 46 percent from the field and out rebounded Lincoln 45-39.
