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WOMEN’S HOOPS: Southern women earn postseason bid with win over UCO

By:
Missouri Southern Athletics

The Missouri Southern women’s basketball team used a strong fourth quarter and secured a berth in the 2021 MIAA Basketball Tournament as the Lions defeated Central Oklahoma 67-57 tonight inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. 

The Lions (9-13) will be the No. 8 seed and will travel to Fort Hays State to take on the Tigers in an opening round game on Wednesday night at 6 pm inside Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. 

Southern was led offensively by Layne Skiles with 13 points, while Madi Stokes and Amaya Johns scored ten each. Stokes added 14 rebounds and three blocks, while Carley Turnbull added nine points of her own. 

The Bronchos (14-8) were led by 12 points from Jaci Littell. 

The Lions opened up a 7-3 lead early on in the first quarter but UCO tied it at seven with just under seven minutes to go. A three from Kaitlin Hunnicutt with three minutes left put the Lions up 14-9, and a pair of freebies from Biance Stocks with 2:22 on the clock gave the Lions an 18-9 lead. UCO crept back, however, but the Lions led 18-17 after one. 

Skiles opened up the second quarter with a three and a jumper from Johns with 7:49 left made the score 23-17, Lions. A free throw from Stocks pushed the Southern lead to ten (30-20) with 2:48 to go, but the Bronchos again crept back and the Lions led 33-29 at the break. 

The two teams were back-and-forth throughout the third quarter but a layup from Stokes with 19 seconds left put the Lions up four going into the fourth. In the fourth, the Lions out scored the Bronchos 20-14 with the majority of the deficit coming late as the Lions made their free throws down the stretch. 

The Lions shot 40 percent from the field and 76 percent from the free throw line. Rebounds were even at 37 with the Lions holding a 10-8 advantage on the offensive boards. 

Southern will be back in action this Wednesday as the Lions open up the MIAA Tournament with a trip to Hays, Kan. Tip off against the Tigers is set for 6 pm. 

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