Joplin, Mo. – Jenson Maydew had a career-high 23 points and seven three pointers as the Missouri Southern women's basketball team took out visiting Missouri Western 76-64 today on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
 
Southern (7-7, 4-2 MIAA) wins its sixth game in a row for the first time since the start of the 2014-15 season. Maydew scored 23 on 8-11 from the field an 7-9 from long-range and tied her career-high with 12 rebounds in the process.
 
Desirea Buerge scored 20 points, 16 of which in the second half, on 11-12 from the free throw line. Dru Clark and Chelsey Henry scored 12 points each.
 
Western (10-5, 3-3 MIAA) had three in double-figures with 17 from Brittany Atkins.
 
The Griffons scored the game's first basket, but the Lions answered back with a pair of freebies from Buerge and back-to-back threes from Maydew, as well as a three from Clark to lead 11-3 with 6:03 left in the first quarter.
 
The lead hit 20-7 after another three from Maydew with four to play and yet again another three from Maydew made the Lions' lead 25-11 with 2:06 to go in the first. A three-point play from Clark as time was winding down gave the Lions a 30-14 lead after one.
 
Western opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run, but back-to-back threes from Maydew gave the Lions a 36-23 lead with 4:12 left. A pair of freebies from Henry pushed the lead to 13 (40-27) with 2:55 left and the Griffons closed the half on a 4-1 run to give Southern a 41-31 halftime lead.
 
Maydew was 6-7 from long-range in the half, setting a new career-high in that category.
 
A three pointer from Julianna Wadsworth with 8:21 left in the third quarter put the Lions up 46-35 and a pair of freebies from Henry with 4:58 to go made the score 50-37. A basket from Morgan Brightwell on the left baseline off an offensive rebound from Maydew gave the Lions a 60-41 lead with a minute and a half left in the third quarter. The Lions would lead 60-45 after three.
 
A three from Buerge with 7:15 left in the fourth made the score 67-50, Southern, and the Lions would cruise to the win.
 
Southern shot 47 percent from the field and 52 percent from long-range. The Lions had 31-21 advantage on the boards, including a 9-3 mark on the offensive boards that led to an 11-1 lead in second-chance points.
 
The Lions will be back in action on January 11 as Southern travels to Lindenwood. Tip off from St. Charles is slated for 5:30 pm.