Men’s basketball tied the school record for most three-pointers in a game Dec. 6.

During the game against St. Gregory’s University game Ameer Watts tied the Missouri Southern record for single-game three-pointers connecting on eight three-point shots. The team as a whole scored 15 three-pointers tying the University record.

Watts went nine for 16 in total field goals attempted. He was eight for 14 in three-point field goal attempts. Watts shot six of the eight tying three-pointers in the first half.As a team, the Lions scored 29 of 63 total field goals attempted and 15 of 33 three-point field goals. The team scored 12 of the 15 tying three-point field goals in the first half, making 57.1 percent of the three-point field goals in the first half and 45.5 percent for the entire game.

“I thought we played well in both games,” said Robert Corn, head men’s basketball coach. “I thought we shot the three extremely well, particularly the second night in the first half.”

Corn said he thought the team was able to get into a positive flow in the game against SGU. The Lions defeated the Cavaliers, 93-70.

The team played SGU on the second night of the Freeman Sports Medicine/Chris Tucker Classic held at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. The Lions won their first game against Central Baptist College, 104-67, on Dec. 5.

The Pittsburg State University Gorillas participated in the classic winning both their games against SGU, 80-67, and CBC, 94-65. Southern improved its record to 7-2. PSU holds a record of 7-1. Emporia State University sits atop the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association’s standings with a 7-0 record. Northwest Missouri State University, University of Missouri-Rolla and Washburn University are tied for second with records of 6-0. Central Missouri State University holds down the fifth position with a record of 5-0. PSU is in sixth and Southern is in seventh. Missouri Western State College is in eighth with a record of 5-2. Southwest Baptist University and Truman State University round out the standings with records of 3-4 apiece.

The Lions next play the Dream Builders, an exhibition game, at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Corn said the team was originally supposed to play Rockhurst University Saturday, but the Hawks will be playing a Division I team.

Southern switched dates with the Dream Builders from Nov. 15 to Saturday.

“We wanted to play a game before we let the young men leave for Christmas break,” he said. “Once they get finished with finals they can go home for a few days. We wanted to play a game before that occurred, because once we get back we start pretty quick. Dec. 30 is our conference game against Truman.”

Corn said he does not believe Southern has the dominant team in the conference, but he doesn’t believe the conference competition will be like football with a five-way tie for first place.

“It’s the situation where it will be very competitive,” Corn said.

“I think it’s going to be a situation where you got a lot of teams with the capability of knocking each other off. I think all 10 teams will have an opportunity to make a difference in the conference race this year.”