St. Joseph, Mo. – The Missouri Southern women's basketball team out scored Missouri Western 16-6 in the final quarter and the Lions took out the Griffons, 61-52 tonight in St. Joseph.
 
Southern (11-13, 8-8 MIAA) stops a five-game losing streak and rode the backs of Desirea Buerge and Chelsey Henry. Buerge finished with 25 points and ten rebounds, while Henry scored 20 and Dru Clark had a team-high 12 rebounds.
 
Western (11-14, 4-12 MIAA) was led by 18 points from Melia Richardson.
 
Both teams traded baskets early in the first quarter before the Griffons took a 12-5 lead midway through the period. Western led 18-11 two minutes later, but a 7-0 run from the Lions tied the game at 18 with 1:20 left after a steal and a layup from Henry. A free throw from the Griffons gave Western a 19-18 lead after one.
 
The Lions started the second quarter with a three from Dru Clark to take a 21-19 lead and a jumper from Maydew gave the Lions a four-point advantage at 23-19. Western took a 27-25 lead with six minutes left, but both teams went without a point for the next three minutes before a free throw from Buerge.
 
A three from Krista Clark tied the game at 29 and another three from Buerge gave the Lions the lead again at 32-31. The two teams went into the locker room tied at 34.
 
Buerge started the third quarter with a three-point play that put the Lions up 37-34 and a bucket from Beurge put the Lions up 41-38 with 3:52 to go in the quarter. The Lions led 45-42 with 1:50 left, but Western closed the quarter in a 4-0 run and led 46-45 after three.
 
Western led 50-47 just two minutes into the fourth quarter, but the Lions answered with an 8-0 run and led 55-50 with 4:39 left in the quarter. A pair of free throws from Henry with 49 seconds left put the Lions up 59-52 and the Lions made another two free throws to ice the win.
 
The Lions shot 46 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free throw line. Southern out rebounded the Griffons 37-27 and scored 15 points off of nine Western turnovers.
 
Southern will conclude the two-game road trip on Saturday afternoon as the Lions will travel to Northwest Missouri. Tip off from Bearcat Arena is slated for 1:30 pm.