Protecting home court proves pivotal as Lions open conference play

Senior DJ Feitl shooting an uncontested layup against season opening opponent St. Cloud State inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on Nov. 13, 2015. Feitl scored a season-high 18 points in the Lions victory. Feitl has started all six games for Southern this season. Feitl is averaging 9.8 points a game.

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Senior DJ Feitl shooting an uncontested layup against season opening opponent St. Cloud State inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on Nov. 13, 2015. Feitl scored a season-high 18 points in the Lions victory. Feitl has started all six games for Southern this season. Feitl is averaging 9.8 points a game.

The Missouri Southern men’s basketball team ended its first road trip and non-conference schedule last Saturday in Russellville, Ark., against Arkansas Tech. ATU defeated the Lions 75-72.

The Lions scored 30 first-half points, the second fewest scored in the first half for the Lions so far. They took a four point lead into the break.

In the second half, Greg Renfroe capped off a 10-2 run that tied the game at 43 with 12:39 to play. Both teams traded buckets for the next six minutes. With 4:46 remaining in the half, Senior Taevaunn Prince gave the Lions a five-point lead (65-60) after hitting one of two from the free throw line.

From there, it was all ATU. ATU went on a 6-0 run to regain a one-point lead with 3:27 left. Two hit free throws from Tyler Corley help ATU regain a one-point lead (68-67) after a Prince layup on the other end. ATU would separate slowly but surely after that, grabbing a lead of as many as five points with six seconds left. Southern fell to ATU, marking their second loss in a row and losers of two of their three-game road trip.

“I told the guys after the ATU game that this stretch will prove to be good for us because in January, we have a patch of conference games where we’re on the road six out of seven games,” said head coach Jeff Boschee. “This road trip is something we’ll build off of and learn from. All in all, we got to be able to finish those close ones.”

For the Lions, Prince led the way, scoring 20 and pulling down 13 rebounds. Austin Wright had 14 points on 4-8 shooting from long-range, while Charlie Brown scored 13 and Renfroe scored 10. Southern shot 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from long range. Tech had a 42-31 scoring advantage in the paint.

Southern’s lone victory on the road trip came against William Jewell on Nov. 21.

“Three-three isn’t where we expected to be,” said Boschee. “I’m disappointed that we didn’t take care of all our home games. We can’t dwell on it, though. It’s time to put this non-conference thing behind us and I think we got three quality wins from non-conference.”

The Lions will be playing the second of three conference games in a row inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center tomorrow when Southern plays hosts to Northeastern State. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.