Southern women's basketball defeats Lincoln - KOAM TV 7

Southern women's basketball defeats Lincoln

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Behind career-high scoring performances from Shonte Clay and Nicole Hartzog, the Missouri Southern women's basketball team overcame a slow start to win their fourth consecutive contest this afternoon defeating the Lincoln University Blue Tigers 67-55.

Topping her previous career-high by five points, Clay finished the afternoon with 17 points to go along with eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Nicole Hartzog also had a career-high afternoon for the Lions (10-3, 4-1 MIAA) finishing with 12 points going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field. Following up her season-high performance, Erin Rice finished in double figures with 12 points, while Dominique Mosley nearly missed out on a double-double finishing with nine points and eight rebounds.

Lincoln (7-7, 2-4) was led on the afternoon by guard Freddie Sims, who finished with 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field. Dahila Booker added 10 points and nine rebounds for the Blue Tigers.

Falling behind 8-0, the Lions did not register a basket until a Mosley layup more than five minutes into the game broke up their scoreless drought. Extending their lead to 12-2, the Lions would quickly find their offense reeling off ten consecutive points, including seven straight from Hartzog, to tie up the game at 12. The teams would play almost even the rest of the half as the Lions went into halftime up two 30-28.

With the Lions clinging to a two-point lead five minutes into the second half, the Lions' offense got going again ripping off on a 19-6 run over the next seven plus minutes to break their lead open to 15 (59-44). That run featured scoring from eight different Lions, including five straight from Hartzog. The Lions would lead by double digits the rest of the game as Southern secured their fourth conference win of the year, matching their final total from a year ago.

Only shooting 12-of-33 (.364) from the field in the first half, the Lions would find their touch in the second half shooting 13-of-25 (.650) to finish 25-of-53 (.472) for the game. Outrebounding the Blue Tigers 42-37, the Lions used their size advantage to hold a 42-32 points in the paint advantage.

The Lions return to action Wednesday night when they host the #20 Pittsburg State Gorillas at 5:30 p.m. in the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.