Joplin, Mo. – Kinzer Lambert had career-highs in points (26) and assists (8) and the Missouri Southern men's basketball team dispatched of visiting Lindenwood 97-71 today on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
 
Southern (4-5, 2-2 MIAA) was led by Lambert's night with 26 points, eight assists and five rebounds, as he went 10-13 from the field and 4-5 from long-range. Elyjah Clark scored 24 on 8-12 shooting and tying a career-high with six three pointers. LJ Ross scored 15 points on 7-8 from the field and Koray Gilbert and Enis Memic had ten points each.
 
Southern was once again, one three-pointer away from tying a school record.
 
Lindenwood (7-2, 1-1 MIAA) got 21 points each from Brad Newman and Chandler Diekvoss.
 
Both teams had little trouble scoring in the first five minutes, but Lambert had zero trouble as a three from the sophomore, his second in a row, put the Lions up 15-10 with 14:48 to go in the first half. Southern led 17-12 after a layup from Memic with 13:11 to go and 27-23 after a dunk from Lambert with 7:26 remaining.
 
The Southern lead was five (31-26) before a layup from Gilbert and a jumper from Lambert with just under three to go, pushed the score to 35-26. A pair of freebies from Memic made the score 37-26, Southern with 1:43 to go and a three from Clark made the score 40-28 with just over a minute to go. Lindenwood got a three from Dobbs as time expired and Southern led 40-33 at the break.
 
A three from Lambert with 17:58 to go in the second half, pushed the Southern lead to ten (45-35) and a three from Gilbert with 15:04 to go made the score 53-37, Southern and forced a timeout for Lindenwood.
 
The lead was 15 (55-40) after a bucket from Gilbert with 13:27 left, but an 8-2 run from Lindenwood cut the Southern lead to nine (57-48) and forced a Southern timeout.
 
A 13-5 run for Southern put MSSU up 70-53 and was capped by a three from CJ Carr. A three from Clark with just under three left pushed the Southern lead to 19 (85-66) and another three from Clark with 2:16 to go pushed the lead to 12 (88-66) and forced a Lindenwood timeout.
 
A layup from Braelon Walker with 48 seconds left provided the final score.
 
Southern shot 66 percent from the field and 54 percent from long-range, while making 11-13 free throws.
 
Southern will be back in action next weekend as the Lions travel to Quincy for the Quincy Holiday Tournament. Southern will play Quincy on Saturday and Truman on Sunday.