Maryville, Mo. -- Runs from Northwest Missouri to close the first half and open the second doomed the Missouri Southern men's basketball team as the Lions fell 80-68 tonight in Maryville. 

Southern (14-9, 8-6 MIAA) was led offensively by both Blaine Miller and Charlie Brown as the pair scored 14 points each. Miller went 5-6 from the field, 2-3 from long range and 2-2 from the free-throw line, while adding four rebounds. Brown was 5-8 from the field and 2-4 from both long-range and the free-throw line. Cameron Cornelius scored ten points as well. 

Northwest (18-5, 11-4 MIAA) had four score in double-figures, led by 16 points from Conner Crooker. 

Southern started strong, making two of its first three attempts and leading 5-2 after a three point play by Cornelius with 18:44 left to go in the half. The Lions led 12-11 after a three from Taevaunn Prince with 15:42 to go, but that was the last lead the Lions saw. 

The game was tied at 27 after a free throw from Brown with 6:54 to go, but Northwest closed the half on an 18-7 run to go up 45-34 at the break. 

After the Lions scored on a layup from Lane Barlow to open the second half, the Bearcats went on a 15-2 run and pushed their lead to 22 (60-38) with 15:09 to go in the game. 

Southern cut the lead to 13 (63-50) after a pair of free throws from Miller, and a bucket from Miller with 45 seconds to go would provide the game's final score. 

The Lions shot 50 percent from the field and scored 15 second-chance points off of eight rebounds. The Southern bench out scored Northwest 39-19 and the Lions had seven blocks, led by a team-high four from Greg Renfroe. 

Southern will be back in action this Saturday when the Lions play host to Missouri Western. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 3 pm.