Joplin, Mo. – A driving layup from CJ Carr with 8.1 seconds left in overtime proved to be the game-winner as the Missouri Southern men's basketball team defeated visiting Central Oklahoma 83-82 in overtime today inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
 
Southern (13-8, 7-5 MIAA MIAA) was led in scoring with 21 points each from Elyjah Clark and JJ Cratit. Clark added seven rebounds, going 5-8 from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line. Lawrence Brown scored 20 and added seven boards, while CJ Carr had 16 points, eight assists and four rebounds.
 
UCO (12-7, 7-4 MIAA MIAA) was led in scoring with 17 points from Corbin Byford as five Bronchos scored in double-figures.
 
A three-pointer from Clark with 16:06 left gave the Lions an early 9-5 lead, but the Bronchos went on a 7-0 run to go up 12-9 with 14:43 left. Both teams traded leads and buckets before a jumper from Brown with five to go in the half, gave the Lions a 31-25 lead.
 
A layup from the Bronchos with 1:47 to go tied the game at 37 and a three-point play by Xavier Howard gave UCO a 38-35 lead at the break.
 
A pair of free throws from Brown with 18:12 on the clock, gave the Lions a 39-38 lead, but the Bronchos went on a 5-0 run to take a 43-39 lead with 15:45 to go.
 
The UCO lead reached 49-42 with 11:45 left on the clock, before a three from Carr with 11:28 to go cut the lead to five (49-44). A bucket from Cratit, a steal from Kinzer Lambert and a three-point play from Clark cut the lead to three (52-49) with ten minutes left.
 
A three from the Bronchos with 8:23 to go gave UCO a 60-53 lead, but Clark answered back with a three of his own the next trip down to make it 60-56.
 
A three from Clark with 6:12 left cut the lead to four (66-62) and after the Bronchos led 70-65, a three from Vince Fritz with 2:49 left cut the lead to just one at 70-69. Free throws from Brown tied the game at 70 and again at 71, the latter happening with 1:01 on the clock.
 
A running jumper with one second left on the shot clock and 29.9 on the game clock from the Bronchos put UCO up 73-71, but a layup from Brown the next trip down tied the game again at 73 with 19.1 seconds left. Neither team got a shot to go in as time expired and the game went to overtime.
 
UCO started the extra period with a pair of buckets, but a three from Cratit got the Lions to within one (77-76) with 3:24 to go. A Bronchos' bucket and a Lions' free throw later, the score was 79-77 UCO with 2:43 left and a pair of free throws from Parker Jennings tied the game at 79 with 2:04 to go. Two more free throws from Carr with 1:38 to go gave the Lions an 81-79 lead.
 
A basket from the Bronchos' Byford with 19 seconds left put UCO up 82-81 and forced a Southern timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Carr drove the lane and hit a layup with 8.1 on the clock that proved to be the game-winner.
 
Southern shot 38 percent from the field and 35 percent from long-range, while making 76 percent of its free throws. The Lions forced 19 turnovers and scored 26 points off of the miscues. This is the second overtime win of the year for the Lions, as the team has gone 2-1 in overtime games.
 
The Lions will be back in action next Saturday as Southern plays host to Pittsburg State. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 3 pm.