SBU avenges loss with win
Sophomore guard Daron Harris drives down the court during the second half of the Jan. 28 home game against the Missouri Western State University Griffons. The Lions lost the game 80-63.
As much purple as green and gold permeated the stands at the Feb. 1 men’s basketball game. Fans of the conference-leading Southwest Baptist University Bearcats came to Joplin in full force to cheer on their team.
They were rewarded with a 75-59 win over the Missouri Southern Lions. Though the Lions would pull to within nine points of SBU, it was not enough.
The Bearcats went on a 12-2 run at the end of the game, sealing Southern’s fate.
SBU avenged its 68-64 loss at the hands of the Lions Jan. 24 with the win in the Leggett & Platt Athletics Center.
The Lions shot 22.2 percent from the field in the first half and 31.3 percent for the game, compared to SBU’s 54.5 percent for the game.
“We just missed too many easy shots,” said Robert Corn, head men’s basketball coach.
Two Lions did score double digits in the loss. Quentin Edwards, senior guard, put up 15 points for Southern, followed by Daron Harris, sophomore guard, who had 11.
Dan Jones, senior forward/center, was next with eight points. Myron Hodge, junior forward/center, and Jeremie Bond, senior center, had seven points a piece.
Hodge and Edwards grabbed six rebounds each for the Lions, followed by four Lions who had four each.
One of those four was junior center Dale Hunter, who Corn put in to help guard SBU’s 7-2 center, who had four inches on the tallest Lion.
“Dale Hunter, in the last two games, has put forth the best effort of anybody on the court,” Corn said.
Corn said he will start Hunter in the game because of the effort and drive he has shown on the court.
On Jan. 28, the Lions faced another loss at the hands of the Missouri Western State University Griffons. MWSU beat the Lions 80-63.
In that game, Edwards led in scoring with 13 points. Jones was next with 10.
Hodge earned nine points against MWSU, and Ed Miles, junior forward, put up eight.
Hodge grabbed five rebounds for Southern, and Jones had four.
Tyler Ryerson, sophomore guard, earned eight assists on the night.
With the pair of losses this week, Southern drops to 10-11 overall and 3-7 in the MIAA.
Saturday, the Lions head to Topeka, where the Washburn Ichabods await them.
Southern returns home Wednesday, when Central Missouri State University comes to town.
That game begins at 7:30 p.m.
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