Sioux Falls, SD – A running layup from Braelon Walker as time winded down gave the Missouri Southern men's basketball team a 79-77 win over Wayne State tonight in the final game of the Pentagon Showcase.
 
Southern (2-3) was led offensively by Kinzer Lambert with 22 points, going 9-of-12 from the field and 8-of-12 from the free throw line. Elyjah Clark scored 19 points, while Enis Memic scored 12 points off the bench.
 
Wayne State (4-2) was led by Kendall Jacks with 23 points as four Wildcats scored in double-figures.
 
Both teams traded baskets early on and a jumper from Memic gave the Lions a 12-11 lead with 14:23 left in the first half. A layup from Lambert the next trip down pushed the lead to three at 14-11.
 
A three from Walker and a pair of freebies from Vince Fritz pushed the Lions' lead to five at 23-18 with 9:15 to go in the half. Southern led 26-22 with just over eight minutes left, but an 9-0 run from the Wildcats put Wayne State up 31-26 with 4:55 to go in the half. The Lions, however, closed the half on a 10-5 run, capped by a tip-in from Lambert with 34 seconds left that tied the game at 36 going into the locker room.
 
A pair of free throws from Lambert gave the Lions a 44-40 lead just five minutes into the second half. Both teams traded points, before a layup from Memic made the score 50-45 with 13:26 left.
 
With the Wildcats leading 62-60 with 6:36 left, Clark completed a three-point play to put the Lions up 63-62 and a layup from LJ Ross the next trip down gave the Lions a 65-62 lead. A three-point play from Lambert with 4:24 left and a layup from Clark the next trip down pushed the lead to eight at 70-62.
 
WSC, however, fought back and got to within three (72-69) with 1:19 left and called a timeout. A bucket from Memic put the Lions up 74-69, but the Wildcats hit a three the next trip down and called a timeout, trailing 74-72 with 35.9 seconds left.
 
With WSC forced to foul, the Lions made three-of-four free throws from Fritz and Clark and led 77-74 with 24 seconds left to go in the game. A three from WSC with five seconds left tied the score, but a running layup from Walker proved to be the game-winner.
 
Southern shot 52 percent from the field and 74 percent from long-range. The Lions had a 35-24 advantage on the boards.
 
The Lions will be back in action on November 30 as Southern will open up MIAA play with a game at Fort Hays State. Tip off from Gross Memorial Coliseum is slated for 7:30 pm.