Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women's basketball team couldn't overcome a turnover-plagued night and dropped a 70-58 decision to visiting Missouri Western tonight inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
 
Southern (11-14, 6-10 MIAA) was led by the double-double effort from Desirea Buerge as she scored 18 points and pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds.  Jasmine Green scored seven points, while Chelsey Henry, Amelia Bramer, Jenson Maydew and Bri Shavers-McNeace scored six points each.
 
Western (17-6, 11-5 MIAA) had four score in double-figures, led by Dwanisha Tate.
 
The Griffons went up 9-2 early on after a layup from Dana Lewis wit 4:51 to go in the first quarter.  Southern answered with an 11-2 run to end the quarter after a three form Amelia Bramer gave the Lions a 13-11 lead after one.
 
A layup from Henry put the Lions up 19-15 with 7:56 left in the second quarter, forcing a Western timeout. The Griffons responded coming out of the timeout and went on an 8-0 run to lead 23-19 with 5:35 to go in the quarter.
 
A layup from Shannon Mitchell with 2:51 to go tied the game at 25, but Western opened up a 29-26 lead and led 31-28 with 1:48 to go and that would be how the half ended.
 
Western went on a 7-0 run to start the second half and led 38-28 with 7:28 left in the third, forcing a Lions' timeout. The Western lead was 14 (46-32) with 3:04 on the clock, but a layup from Buerge as time was expiring on the shot clock got the Lions to eight (47-39) with 1:23 left.
 
Another layup from Burge made the score 48-41 with just under 30 seconds on the clock, and that would be how the quarter would end.
 
A pair of freebies from Buerge cut the lead to just five (48-43) a little over a minute into the fourth, but the Western lead was 13 (56-13) with 6:22 to go.
 
A three from Bramer with 4:21 left cut the lead to nine (59-50) and a jumper from Julianna Wadsworth with 2:50 to go made the score 59-52, but a bucket from the Griffons with 1:08 to go pushed the lead back to ten (64-54).
 
Two free throws from Buerge with just under a minute made the score 64-56, but Western would make its free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
 
Southern shot 41 percent from the field and 78 percent from the free throw line. The Lions out-rebounded Western 30-24, but Western scored 19 points off of 18 MSSU turnovers.
 
The Lions will be back in action this Saturday as Southern plays host to Northwest Missouri. Tip off from Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is slated for 1:00 pm.