Not one home game this season matched the atmosphere we witnessed last Saturday when Pittsburg State visited Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on senior day. Southern (18 or 17-11, 11-11 MIAA) was looking to avenge their 23-point loss that they suffered on Jan. 16 in PSU. 

With one shot to win it all and time expiring against the rival, senior guard Kenya Wilson-Brown set her feet from behind the arc in a silent arena and let it fly.

The shot bounced off the rim as PSU gathered the rebound and escaped Robert Corn Court with a 62-61 victory and a sweep of the Lions on the season.

“I think we fought hard at the end but we didn’t get the result we wanted,” said senior Sharese “Winkie’ Jones who was honored during halftime of the men’s basketball game.

Southern was swept by PSU for the first time since the 11-12 season. 

After the loss, Southern finished the regular season as a six seed, giving them a home game in the first round of the MIAA Conference Tournament against Northeastern State.

Northeastern came into the first-round matchup losers of four straight looking to punch a ticket to Kansas City, Mo. Southern met NSU once this season on Robert Corn Court where the Lions defeated NSU, 62-55.

Southern put the game away early outscoring NSU by 16 in the second quarter and taking a 21 point lead into the break. Southern would hold a lead as big as 26 points as they went on to clinch their spot in Kansas City with a 73-55 win.

Kayla Kivinski led all scorers with 15 points in her first MIAA postseason game. 

With their win over NSU, Southern would see Fort Hays State for the third time this season as FHSU swept the Lions in the regular season.

Southern would ultimately fall again to FHSU, 77-57.

In consecutive seasons Southern has lost in the quarterfinals.

Congratulations to Jones & Deb Holcomb on earning All-MIAA selections. Jones was selected first team as Holcomb was selected third team in her first year as a Lion.