Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern women's basketball team shot 70 percent from the field in the first half and 75 percent from long-range and the Lions got out to a 21-point halftime lead en route to a 73-55 win over Northeastern State in the MIAA Tournament first-round game tonight. 

Southern (18-11) was led offensively by Kayla Kivinski with 15 points on 4-8 from the field and 3-4 from long-range. She made all four of her free-throws. Deb Holcomb scored 13 points, while Dru Clark had 12 and Jenson Maydew scored 11. 

Northeastern State (8-21) had three score in double-figures led by 13 points from Caley Shaffstall. 

NSU led by three (8-5) after a layup from Cailyn Long with 6:26 left in the 1st, but seven-straight points from the Lions put Southern up 12-8 after a three from Holcomb with 3:51 to go in the quarter. A three from Clark made the score 20-12 with 35 seconds left, but NSU answered back with a three and the score was 20-15 after one. 

The Lions scored seven-straight points to open the second quarter and led 27-15 with 8:17 left on the clock. The lead reached 16 (36-20) after a layup from Kivinski, and a three from Clark with 2:19 to go made the score 41-22. Southern led 47-26 at the halftime break. 

Southern led by as many as 23 in the third quarter, the last coming after a free throw from Clark made the score 54-31 with 2:42 left and the lead was as many as 26 in the fourth after a pair of free throws from Kivinski made the score 72-46 with 4:50 left. 

The Lions shot 52 percent from the field and 50 percent from long range as the team made 11 three-pointers. Southern went 10-12 from the free throw line and the Lions' bench out scored NSU 36-15. 

Southern will now play Fort Hays State in the quarter finals of the MIAA Tournament on Thursday, March 3. Tip off from Municipal Auditorium is slated for noon. 

The Athletic Department will have a send off for the team at 10:45 am from the lobby of the Downtown Marriott.