The top teams in the conference continue to be thorns in the side of a Lions (16-5, 10-4 MIAA) squad falling down the MIAA ranks after a heartbreaking loss at Northwest Missouri (18-6, 13-2 MIAA), and back-to-back defeats at the hands of Central Missouri (19-4, 11-3 MIAA).

Southern, now in forth position in the MIAA, still sits in comfortable position, but for a team with very high hopes, the Lions know these games are the ones they simply cannot lose.

Still, the schedule down the stretch favors a resurgence in the win column for the Lions. With contests against the bottom feeders of the conference the rest of the way, a smart mind would assume sequential victories on the horizon, but the same smart mind would recognize the chance every team has on any given night on the hardwood of the MIAA.

“These games are real important, we feel like,” said senior Slim Magee. “The games we have left will give us that boost we need to make a run in the tournament.”

Never to be overlooked, is the yearly contest against Southern’s biggest rival, Pittsburg State, a game that always inspires an electric environment no matter where it is played. This year, the Lions tangle with the Gorillas in the final home game of Southern’s season.

The potential for greatness is palpable, in this particular case. A victory in the could propel a struggling squad into the tournament and be the perfect sendoff for the senior leaders and a coach ready to walk into the sunset.

“The Pitt State game could definitly be huge for us going into the tourney,” said Talbert. “With it being a rivalry game, senior night, and Corns last game agaisnt Pitt we’re gonna come out motivated to get a W.”

Central came to the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center ready for a difficult contest against a Southern team ready to take hold of its own destiny. In the early going, the Mules were on fire from the floor, missing nearly nothing on the way to 59 percent shooting on the evening.

The Lions fought back with help from the leading scorer, senior Marquis Addison, who scored 21 points to go along with four assists and three steals, and at the half, the Lions led 44-41.

The second half was more of the same as the Mules stayed hot, taking advantage of open shots on the perimeter, and as the game moved toward the final minutes, the Mules kept the Lions at arms length. In the end Southern would fall on the teams home floor by a score of 97-92.

After the loss over the weekend, the Lions looked to rebound as they hosted top ranked Northwest Missouri on Wednesday. A contest with the potential for multiple layers of retribution after the last second defeat the Lions suffered not long ago in Maryville.

The Lions came out of the locker room on fire, hitting shots from all over the floor on the way to an early 14-5 lead. Southern continued to pull away, relying on points in the paint, where they lead the Bearcats 40 to 24 on the night. Following a pair of points from the charity stripe, from Greg Renfroe, the Lions went into the half with a 40-26 advantage.

In the next 20 minutes the Southern lead was cut to only seven with 15:46 remaining, but a three from Austin Wright pushed the gap back into double-digits.

The Lions would hold onto the advantage throughout the remainder of the game behind 14-point games from Lane Barlow, Addison, and Slim Magee.

An important victory for a team that had been unable beat the top competition in recent weeks, and as the season’s final games approach, the Lions must refocus for another MIAA contest as they travel to Missouri Western tomorrow.