Wichita, Kan. – The Missouri Southern women’s basketball team fell victim to a late comeback from Newman as the Lions dropped a closely contest game inside Fugate Gymnasium today, 55-51.
A defensive battle in the first quarter, the Lions (0-2, 0-2 MIAA) led 9-7 after a Kaitlin Hunnicutt three to close out the quarter.
The second quarter belonged to the Lions, as Southern jumped out to a 14-3 run, with the Lions limiting the Jets (1-0, 1-0 MIAA) to shooting 20 percent from the field during the quarter.
Hunnicutt got the scoring going in the quarter with a pull-up jumper on the Lions’ first possession. Sophomore center Madi Stokes connected on her two free throws the next possession before Hunnicutt answered a Jets three with a three of her own.
In the first half, the Lions shot 43 percent from behind the three-point line, while limiting the Jets to 21 percent from the field.
In the third quarter the Lions and Jets traded blows late as they jousted for the lead.
Southern had the lead stretched to six with 2:52 remaining after a Hunnicutt fast break layup from a Brooke Stauffer steal and assist. Amaya Johns sank both of her free throws after being fouled with 0.6 seconds reaming in the quarter to give the Lions a two-point lead after three.
The fourth quarter was a tug-of-war between the Jets and Southern that came down to the last 1:52 remaining.
Johns hit one free throw to push the Lions’ lead to 49-47, before the Jets answered back with two made free throws to even up the score. Johns sank both free throws with a minute remaining to push the Southern lead back up to two, but Newman hit a three on the ensuing possession taking the lead for good. The Lions got off two three-pointers to tie with both being no good.
Southern was led in scoring by Johns with 13 points as she went 7-of-10 from the free throw line. Stokes and Hunnicutt scored ten points each.
The Jets had two score ten points each led by ten points and two rebounds each from Rylee Meloy and Brooke Haney.
Southern held Newman to 28 percent from the field and 27 from behind the three-point line, while the Lions shot 33 percent from the field.
