The Missouri Southern men’s basketball team dropped an overtime thriller today, falling 105-101 in overtime to visiting Central Oklahoma on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
The Lions (13-9) finish in a tie for third with Missouri Western, but lose the tie breaker and will be the 4th seed in the MIAA Tournament. Southern will play host to these very same Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Wednesday at 6 pm in an opening round game.
Five Lions scored in double-figures, led by 25 points from Stan Scott. Scott added five assists and six rebounds, while Lawson Jenkins had six threes for 20 points of his own. Cam Martin scored 19 points and went over 2,000 career points, currently sitting with 2,009 at MSSU. He added nine rebounds and a team-high six assists.
Christian Bundy had 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while RJ Smith scored 12 points of his own, adding in nine boards.
The Lions jumped out to a 16-5 lead after a jumper from Yahizhan Selcuk with 15:07 left in the first half. The lead was 11 again after a jumper from Scott with 11 minutes to go and the Lions led by 10 after two free throws from Martin with eight to go. UCO got within three with 3:23 left on the clock, but the Lions pushed the lead back up to eight (41-33) with 37 seconds to go and led by seven at the break.
Southern led by 12 (60-48) with 14 minutes to go, and by ten with 12 minutes left, but UCO went on a 14-4 run and tied the game at 67 with nine minutes to go. Southern trailed briefly, but went back ahead and led by four (82-78) with three minutes to go. UCO tied and went ahead as the two teams traded baskets down the stretch. The Lions had a chance at the buzzer, but couldn’t get the shot to go.
In the overtime period, the Lions led 96-93 with three minutes left, but UCO went on a 6-0 run to lead 99-96 with a minute to go. A three from Smith tied it, but the Bronchos hit a 3 the next trip down and didn’t look back.
The Lions shot 47 percent from the field and hit 75 percent of their free throws.
The two teams will be right back at it this Wednesday night as the Lions play host to the Bronchos in a first-round game of the 2021 MIAA Tournament. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is set for 6 pm.
