MSSU Men use late run to defeat Lincoln - KOAM TV 7

MSSU Men use late run to defeat Lincoln

JOPLIN -- The Missouri Southern basketball team used an 11-4 run down the stretch to take out visiting Lincoln University tonight in the finale of the 2012 Freeman Sports Medicine/Chris Tucker Memorial Classic tonight. 

Southern (3-0) went into the locker room down 30-27, but stormed out on a 5-0 run to start the second half and go up on Lincoln (1-4) 34-30 after a three pointer from Matt Everson just two minutes in. 

After a free-throw from Lincoln's Sean Harris tied the game at 35 with 15:13 remaining, Southern went on an 14-0 run to take a 50-36 lead lead after a free-throw from Stephen Atkinson with 12 minutes left. The lead was 14 again after a pair of freebies from Greg Renfroe with 10:28 left, but Lincoln clawed back to within one (63-62) after a free-throw from Cedric Ridle with five minutes left.

A three from Ridle two minutes later, gave the Blue Tigers a 68-67 lead, and after the teams traded baskets, a layup from Lincoln's DeShun Watkins gave LU a 72-71 lead with 1:44 left. From there, it was all Lions as Southern scored the final seven points of the game. 

Marquis Addison led the Lions with 21 points and seven rebounds on 5-12 shooting from the field and 10-12 from the free-throw line. Renfroe had a career-high 17 points on 7-8 shooting, while adding a team-high eight rebounds. Everson scored 14 and added seven rebounds. 

The Lions shot 57 percent in the second half after a 35 percent showing in the first half to finish the game 46 percent from the field. 

Southern will be back in action on Tuesday evening when the Lions travel to Arkansas-Fort Smith for a 7:30 pm tipoff.