Edmond, Okla. – The Missouri Southern men's basketball team scored a season-high 61 first-half points and held off a pesky Central Oklahoma offense in the second half to win 95-89 today inside Hamilton Field House.
 
Southern (13-8, 8-4 MIAA) had four score in double-figures, led by a season-high 21 points and 13 rebounds from LJ Ross. Elyjah Clark had 18 points and 12 rebounds, while CJ Carr had 19 points and five assists. Kinzer Lambert scored 11, while Enis Memic had nine and Braelon Walker scored eight.
 
UCO (14-6, 7-4 MIAA) had four score in double-figures, led by 27 points from Marqueese Grayson.
 
The Lions started on fire, making five of their first eight shots and leading 12-2 with 16:42 left after a three-point play from Clark. A jumper from Memic with 13:12 left pushed the lead to 16 (26-10) and a pair of free throws from Ross gave the Lions a 35-14 lead with 9:29 left in the half.
 
Southern pushed its lead to 23 (43-20) after a jumper from Walker with 6:31 left and a pair of free throws from Carr with 2:51 left gave the Lions a 25-point lead (52-27). The largest lead of the half was 27 (61-34) and a late bucket from the Bronchos gave the Lions a 61-36 lead at the break.
 
The Bronchos started chipping away at the Southern lead, but after a layup from Carr, the Lions led 68-47 with 16:36 left in the half. Southern led 72-53 with 13:14 left, but a layup from Corbin Byford with 8:44 left cut the lead to just ten (76-66) and forced a Lions' timeout.
 
The Lions' lead was just six (79-73) with 6:19 left and a jumper from the Bronchos cut the lead to just four (79-75) with 5:50 left. After a layup from Lambert had the Lions' lead back to six, a three from the Bronchos cut the lead to three at 81-78 with 4:57 left.
 
Southern, however, got a layup from Ross and a three from Walker to push the lead back to eight (86-78) with 3:58 left. UCO responded with four-straight points to cut the lead to four (86-82) with 1:47 left, and a three from Carr with 39 seconds left made the score 89-84.
 
A pair of free throws from Parker Jennings made the score 91-86, but the Bronchos made a three the next trip down to get within two (91-89).  Carr made four free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
 
The Lions shot 45 percent from the field and 41 percent from long-range, while making 86 percent of their free throws. Southern had a 47-27 advantage in rebounds, including a 23-10 margin on the offensive boards that led to a 34-12 lead in second-chance points. The Lions led from start to finish.
 
Southern will be back in action a week from today, playing at Pittsburg State. Tip off from John Lance Arena is slated for 3:30 pm.