Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women's basketball team jumped out to a 20-13 lead after one and led 42-37 at the break, but Washburn outscored the Lions 48-32 in the second half and defeated the Lions 85-74 tonight on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
 
Southern (9-8, 6-3 MIAA) was led by 24 points on 9-15 shooting from Chelsey Henry. Henry hit 5-7 from long-range in the game. Desirea Buerge scored 22 and pulled down 12 rebounds, going 12-13 from the free-throw line. Dru Clark had nine points
 
Washburn (13-4, 5-3 MIAA) was led by Reagan Phelan's 32 points.
 
Both teams traded points early, but a quick 6-0 run from Henry sparked the Lions to a 9-3 lead with 5:44 left in the first quarter. A buzzer-beater from Henry with 4:15 left kept the Southern lead at six (11-5), and after Washburn got within one at 11-10, a three from Henry with 1:52 left and a layup from Clark the next trip down had the lead back to six (16-10). A layup from Buerge as time expired had the Lions up 20-13 after one quarter.
 
Krista Clark hit a three to start the second to give the Lions their largest lead to that point at 23-13, and after Washburn got within three (25-22) a three from Henry put the Lions back up six with 7:35 to go. The Ichabods got to within two (28-26) with 5:41 left, but once again, a three from Henry stopped the run and put the Lions up 31-26 with 4:45 left in the second.
 
A three from Phelan with 3:57 left tied the game at 31, but a three on the other end from Jenson Maydew gave the Lions a 34-31 lead. The Lions' lead was just one (36-35) with 1:29 left, but Southern closed the half on a 6-2 run, including a layup from Clark as time expired and led 42-37 at the break.
 
Washburn opened up the second half on a 10-0 run and led by five 47-42 with 7:45 left in the third, forcing a Southern timeout. The run reached 12-0, but a pair of freebies from Buerge stopped and closed the gap to five (49-44) with 6:18 to go.
 
Back-to-back three's from the Ichabods pushed Washburn's lead to 12 (58-46) with 4:06 left in the third. A three from Henry with 2:15 left cut the lead to ten (61-51) and after a putback from WU, the Lions answered with a three from Kamiron Luptak to make the score 63-54 after three quarters.
 
A three from Maydew at the top of the key cut the lead to seven (68-61) with just more than six to play and two freebies from Clark with 4:51 left cut the Washburn lead to five (70-65). A steal from Clark and a free throw to follow, cut the lead to four (72-68) with 2:20 left. A three-point play from Buerge got the Lions to within seven (78-71) with 47 seconds to go, but that would be as close as the Lions would get.
 
Southern shot 45 percent from the field in the game and 86 percent from the free throw line.
 
The Lions will be back in action this Saturday, as Southern plays host to Emporia State at 1:30 pm.