Kearney, Neb. -- Elyjah Clark hit a three with 11 seconds left to tie the game, but a three pointer as time was expiring from Nebraska-Kearney lifted the Lopers over the Missouri Southern men's basketball program 82-79 tonight in MIAA action.
Southern (2-5, 0-2 MIAA) was led by Clark's 22 points as he went 7-15 from the field and 5-11 from long-range.
Enis Memic had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while
LJ Ross had 12 points and seven boards.
CJ Carr had nine points and five assists.
UNK (5-5, 2-0 MIAA) got 17 points each from Trey Lansman and Lane Rohrich, while Lansman added 11 rebounds. Yashua Trent had 16 points, but none bigger than a three he hit in the waining seconds of the game.
Southern opened up a 14-11 lead with 13:53 left in the first half after a three from
Koray Gilbert. The lead was eight (23-15) after a three from
Braelon Walker, and a free throw from Memic gave the Lions a 30-21 advantage with 6:14 to go in the half.
After UNK had cut the lead to one, the Lions pushed it back to seven (39-32) with just over two minutes to go, but after a run from the Lopers, a three from
Vince Fritz gave the Lions a 42-38 lead at the break.
A three from Clark pushed the Southern lead to seven (49-42) with 17:12 left in the game, and a jumper from Clark made the score 59-51 with 13:45 to go. The Lopers went on an 8-0 run to tie the game at 59 with 11:18 to go, but the Lions pushed back and took a three-point lead (73-70) with seven minutes to go.
The teams went back and forth before Kearney took a 79-76 lead with 34 second to go after a jumper from Lansman. After a miss from
CJ Carr, the Lions picked up the offensive rebound and called a timeout. Clark hit the tying three pointer with 11 seconds to go, but the Lopers got a last-second three from Trent as time was expiring to put UNK up 82-79 and prove to be the game-winner.
The Lions shot 43 percent from the field and 41 percent from long-range. Southern led the rebound total 35-34, and turnovers for the two teams were tied at 11. The Lopers, however won the battle in the paint with a 48-26 advantage.
Southern will be back in action on Thursday night as the Lions play host to Lincoln University. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 7:30 pm.
