As the season grows closer to its close the Lions (18-5, 12-4 MIAA) continue to turn the heat up, evident following a record-breaking effort Wednesday night against Southwest Baptist (13-12, 6-10 MIAA) which Southern won by a 113-83 score.

In route to the win, Southern put on a three-point clinic, breaking the previous school record by hitting 15 out of 21 in the game, further establishing a team that is already recognized as the third ranked unit in the first NCAA Division II regional poll released earlier this week.

Throughout the year the Lions have leaned on the shoulders of the team’s leading scorer, Marquis Addison, and after putting up a season-high 33 points, Addison cemented his name in the Lions history book by surpassing the 1,500 point plateau, moving him into eighth on the all-time scoring list. 

With a career’s worth of work from a player dedicated to his craft and the finish lurking on the horizon, Addison can relish in accomplishments that will live on forever.

“It’s been a great run in my four years and I wouldn’t be able to have the success I’ve had without my teammates,” he said.  “This milestone is a direct tribute to them.”

Next up for Southern could be the most important game on the schedule.  No, not just because it is the final home game of the season or that the team is filled with a group of seniors and a coach who will be lacing them up for the final time at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, but the fact that this game is the Pitt game.

“Just continue to play defense the way we know we are capable of,” said Addison.  “As well as playing team first basketball because that is when we are our best.”

With what is ahead set in stone following victories that locked the Lions into a 16th straight postseason MIAA Tournament, the team must focus on the short road ahead to avoid a repeat of the early exit the team suffered last season.  But with last shot leadership from the likes of Addison, Jordan Talbert, Matt Everson and Head Coach Robert Corn it would be a shock to see this season end like the last.

“When we are focused and playing well on the defensive end … we can beat any team in the country,” said Everson.

Against Southwest Baptist, the Lions poured on the offense, scoring over 50 points in both halves of play while shooting over 60 percent from the floor.  After a first half that swung back and forth, the Lions came out of the locker room to put a seal on the contest with a 21-7 run that virtually ended the contest.