Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern men’s basketball team made 16 3-pointers en route to a 93-74 win over Pittsburg State on Saturday on Robert Corn Court inside of the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
Southern (12-8) was led by Cam Martin, who scored 25 points and added 10rebounds, going 6-of-11 from long range. Winston Dessesow scored 21 points and had seven assists, while Lawson Jenkins had 16 points on five made 3s. Christian Bundy had nine points, while Yagizhan Selcuk had eight points and nine boards.
Pittsburg State (10-10) was led offensively with 14 points from RJ Lawrence off the bench. Martin Vogts chipped in with 13 points.
The Lions opened the game on a 7-1 run capped by a layup from RJ Smith four minutes in. A jumper from Dessesow at the 14-minute mark made the score 12-4, Lions, but a 3 from Martin with 13:16 on the clock started the Southern barrage from long range. Martin made another 3 with 12:36 left and Jenkins followed up with one of his own with 11 minutes to go to make the score 22-11.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Martin and Dessesow with nine minutes to go put the Lions up 30-15, and a dunk from Smith with 6:49 on the clock put the Lions up 36-19. Jenkins hit a pair of 3s sandwiched between a jumper from Martin with five to go and the Lions went up 20, while a trey from Dessesow the next trip down pushed the lead to 23. Southern led 55-34 at the break.
Southern opened the second half hitting three long-range jumpers and led 64-36 1:10 into action. A dunk from Scott with 16:45 left made the score 71-40, Lions and a layup from Selcuk with 13:53 left put the Lions up 73-46.
A 3-pointer from Dessesow with 11 minutes left made the score 80-57, while a dunk from Bundy off an assist from Jenkins put the Lions up 86-68 with eight to go. A 3-ball from Dessesow with 5:40 to go pushed the lead to 23 as the Lions cruised to the win.
Southern shot 52 percent from the field and 43 percent from the 3-point line. The Lions won the rebound battle 46-34 and had a 36-20 advantage in the paint.
Southern will be back in action this Thursday when the Lions play host to Washburn. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is set for 7:30 p.m.
