JOPLIN, Mo. — The Missouri Southern women’s basketball team went cold in the fourth quarter and Nebraska-Kearney defeated the Lions 50-44 tonight on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Southern (12-11, 4-9 MIAA) was led by 14 points from Laure Assena as she added four rebounds in 17 minutes. Destiny Cozart and Chelsey Henry scored nine points each, while Cozart added five assists.
UNK (13-8, 6-6 MIAA) had three score in double-figures, led by 12 points from Brooke Carlson.
Both teams started cold offensively with the score standing a 2-2 before a bucket from the Lopers with just under seven minutes broke the tie. UNK went up 7-2 and led again 11-8 at the end of one quarter.
The Lions started the second quarter hot and a three-point play from Assena put the Lions up 15-11 with 6:44 in the quarter. The free throw from Assena stopped the Southern run at 7-0 to start the quarter. A jumper from Brooke Stauffer gave the Lions a 17-14 lead midway through the quarter, and after UNK had taken a quick lead, Jordan Schoenberger put the Lions back on top 19-18 with three minutes to go.
Another layup from Schoenberger made the score 21-18 with 2:25 left and a three pointer from the Lopers with 20 seconds left in the half tied the score at the break.
The Lions started the third quarter on a 7-2 run and led 28-23 after a three from Cozart with 6:54 left in the quarter. Southern led 30-25 after a jumper from Henry midway through the third and a three from Layne Skiles with two minutes on the clock pushed the lead to 37-28 and proved to be the score after three.
Southern led 39-28 with 7:17 left in the fourth, but the Lopers went on a 18-2 run to take a 46-41 lead with 1:32 left on the clock in the fourth. The Lions had the ball, trailing by that same score with 47 seconds left and a three-point play from Assena cut the lead to two (46-44) and forced a timeout for UNK.
The Lopers knocked in a bucket out of the timeout, giving the Lions the ball with 14.4 seconds on the clock and trailing 48-44. Coming out of the timeout, the shot wouldn’t’t go for the Lions and the Lopers put in both free throws on the other end to seal the win.
The Lions out rebounded the Lopers 40-36 and forced 17 turnovers, scoring 20 points off the miscues.
Southern will be back in action this Saturday when the Lions play host to No. 5 ranked Fort Hays State.
