Rolla, Mo. - Four Missouri Southern Lions scored in double figures as Southern defeated Missouri S&T 87-75 Monday evening on Billy Key Court inside the Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building.

Southern (7-5, 3-1 MIAA) was led by senior Deb Holcomb with 18 points, while sophomore Desirea Buerge added her second double-double in the last three games with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Also scoring in double figures was junior Jasmine Green with 12 points and sophomore Chelsey Henry added 10 points. The Lions led for 37:33 with their largest lead, 56-35, coming at the 6:19 mark of the third quarter. Missouri S&T (6-4, 1-1 GLVC) tied the game at 2-2 on their second possession of the game and never got any closer to a lead as Southern outscored the Lady Miners 17-9 in the remainder of the first quarter for a 21-11 lead.

The Lions opened the second quarter on an 11-2 run to push their lead up to 19 at 32-13 before a three pointer from Missouri S&T's Raetchel Gray made it 32-16 with 6:11 left in the first half. After trading buckets over the next two plus minutes, another three from Gray cut the Southern lead down to nine at 38-29 with just under four minutes left in the half. A 5-0 run, all by junior Jenson Maydew, pushed the Lions' lead back to 14, 43-29, before a jumper from Kimberly Runge with 47 seconds left sent Missouri S&T into the locker room trailing Southern 43-31.

The Lions shot 50 percent, 16-for-32, from the field in the opening half while holding Missouri S&T to 13-for-36 from the field and did not allow the Lady Miners to shoot a free throw in the opening half. Southern also out rebounded Missouri S&T 22-15 in the first half while the Lady Miners held the advantage in assists 10-7. Holcomb led Southern with 10 points while Green and Maydew each added eight points. Missouri S&T was led by Gray with 11 points.

Southern opened the third quarter on an 10-2 run to push their lead up to 20, 53-33, on a layup from sophomore Shannon Mitchell just under two and a half minutes of play into the quarter. After a bucket from Missouri S&T's Jamy Douvier cut the lead to 18, 53-35, a three from senior Amelia Bramer gave the Lions their largest lead at 21 points, 56-35, at the 6:19 mark. The Lady Miners answered back with an 11-2 run of their own to make it a 12 point game before a three from junior Julianna Wadsworth pushed the lead back to 15, 61-46, with just under three minutes to play in the period. Southern closed the quarter on a 9-2 to send the Lions into the quarter break with a 70-50 lead.

The fourth quarter was dominated by Missouri S&T, but it was a case of too little too late as Southern with stood the hot shooting Lady Miners for the 87-75 win. Missouri S&T shot 55.6 percent, 10-for-18, in the final period while Southern went clod shooting just 27.3 percent, 3-for-11.

Southern finished the game shooting 46.7 percent, 28-for-60, from the field while Missouri S&T shot 40.5 percent, 30-for-74, from the field. The Lions were nearly perfect from the free throw line making 23-of-27 while Missouri S&T was 9-for-10 from the charity stripe. 

Southern will be off until December 31st when they take on Evangel University at 1 p.m. inside The Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.