Emporia, Kan. - The Missouri Southern Lions Women's Basketball team fell 71-61 Wednesday evening to the 16th ranked Emporia State Lady Hornets inside William L. White Auditorium.

The 16th ranked Lady Hornets started the game on a 6-2 run before junior Deb Holcomb would bring Southern to the lead with a 5-0 run of her own to give the Lions a 7-6 lead. Back-to-back lay-ups from sophomore Kayla Kivinski gave Southern an 11-9 lead with just over four minutes left in the quarter. From there Emporia State closed the period on an 11-2 run to take a 20-13 lead into the quarter break.

Back-to-back lay-ups from seniors Sharese Jones and Kenya Wilson-Brown cut the Lady Hornets lead to three, 20-17, as the second quarter opened. Following a couple of buckets from three point range by the Lady Hornets, a jumper from Jones at the 6:21 mark cut the Emporia State lead down to five at 26-21 and a three from sophomore Jenson Maydew a minute later made it 26-24. Both teams were scoreless until senior Tami Morice drained a three pointer to give the Lions a 27-26 lead with just under three minutes to play in the half. Once again Emporia State would go on a run to close out the quarter, this time a 5-0 run to take a 31-27 lead into the locker room.

Jones led the Lions with eight points while Holcomb and Morice tallied five each. Sophomore Dru Clark, Holcomb, and Kivinski led the Lions with two rebounds each as the Lions were out rebounded by Emporia State 15-12 in the first half. The 16th ranked Lady Hornets were led by Kelly Moten with eight points and Kelsey Barnwell added seven. Sandra Ngoie and Kathryn Flott led Emporia State in the first half with three rebounds each.

The Lady Hornets started the third quarter right where they left off as they extended the 5-0 run into a 12-0 run before Jones would convert the old fashion three point play to pull the Lions within eight at 38-30. After both teams traded a pair of 4-0 runs Emporia State took a 14 point lead, 50-36, on a pair of free throws from Ngoie with 2:35 left in the quarter. Freshman Desirea Buerge closed out the scoring in the third quarter with a three point play of her own with just over 90 seconds on the clock to put the Lions within 12 at 52-40.

ESU opened the fourth quarter with a Flott lay-up and an immediate time out called by Southern. Coming out of the time out Holcomb drained a three to make it 54-43 and back-to-back threes from Maydew and Holcomb a minute later made it 57-49 with 7:07 to play. The eight point deficit was the closest the Lions would get as they cut the Emporia State lead down to eight two more times on lay-ups from Maydew and Wilson-Brown before a 9-0 run by the Lady Hornets over two minutes and 20 seconds of play but ESU up by 17, 70-53, with 1:48 to play. Southern went 7-for-8 in the last minute of play from the free throw line to the Lady Hornets 1-for-2 to provide the final score of 71-61.

After shooting 50 percent (12-for-24) from the field in the first half the Lions finished the game shooting 39.0 percent (23-for-59) for the game. Emporia State shot 38.5 percent (10-for-26) from the field in the first half and finished the game at 46.3 percent (25-for-54). The Lady Hornets out rebounded Southern 35-29 for the game while gathering eight blocks.

Jones led all scorers with 21 points while Holcomb added 14 for the Lions. Emporia State had four players score in double figures with Flott leading the way with 16 points.

Southern will be back in action on Saturday evening as they travel to Topeka, Kansas to take on the Washburn Ichabods. Tip off from Lee Arena is scheduled for 5 p.m.