Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women’s basketball team utilized a strong second-half that saw the Lions dominate from the free throw line and come away with a 67-56 win over Missouri Western on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Southern (4-3, 4-3 MIAA) was led in scoring by Carley Turnbull as she poured in 16 points and added four rebounds and three assists. Layne Skiles scored 13 points on 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from long-range, while pulling down five rebounds. Madi Stokes scored six but added 12 rebounds and four blocks.
Western (2-5, 2-5 MIAA) was led in scoring by Brionna Budgetts with 13 points.
The Griffons jumped out to a 10-2 lead before a three from Skiles made the score 10-5 with a little more than six minutes left. Another three from Skiles, this time with five on the clock got the Lions within four (12-8), but the Griffons went on an 8-2 run and led 20-10 before a bucket from Stokes and a pair of freebies from Kaitlin Hunnicutt made the first quarter score 20-14.
Western led 27-16 with 6:45 to go in the second quarter, before a jumper from Biance Stocks, followed by a fast-break layup from Skiles got Southern within seven (27-20) the next trip down. A three from Stocks with 5:47 left got the Lions within four (27-23), but Southern trailed 37-30 at the break.
Southern started the third quarter on a 6-0 run and got to within one (37-36) after a Turnbull layup with 7:47 to go in the quarter. A three from Brooke Stauffer with 5:46 on the clock made the score 42-39, Western, and a turnaround jumper from Stokes a minute later got the Lions within a point (42-41).
A pair of freebies from Anna Hall gave the Lions a 43-42 lead with 2:48 to go in the quarter, while a pair from Hunnicutt pushed the lead to four (46-42). Free throws from Amaya Johns as time was winding down gave the Lions a 50-45 lead after three.
A three pointer from Skiles with 6:35 left in the third quarter pushed the Southern lead to 57-49, while a turnaround bank off the left post from Turnbull gave the Lions a ten-point lead (59-59).
The Lions came up with huge defensive stops and made their free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Southern shot 31 percent from the floor but made 26-of-32 free throws which proved to be the difference in the game. Rebounds were nearly even at 42-41 Lions but Southern forced 22 turnovers and had a 21-11 advantage in points off of turnovers.
The Lions will be off for the holidays and will be back in action on January 9 when Southern travels to Pittsburg State for a 1:30 pm tip off.
