Joplin, Mo. –   The Missouri Southern men's basketball team used a 9-2 run over the final five minutes of the game to take out visiting Central Missouri 65-55 on Robert Corn Court inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center tonight.
 
Southern (12-3, 3-2 MIAA) was led by Elyjah Clark as he scored 20 points and is just two points awa from Marvin Townsend and 13^th-place on the MSSU all-time scoring list. Kinzer Lambert and Reggie Tharp scored 12 points each as Tharp added six assists, four steals and went 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Lambert had 13 rebounds for a double-double. Cam Martin scored ten points on 5-of-8 shooting.
 
Central (9-5, 2-3 MIAA) had two score in double-figures, led by 18 points from Jafar Kinsey.
 
The teams traded baskets early on before a bucket from Martin with 13:10 left in the first gave the Lions a 12-8 lead. A pair of free throws from Lambert pushed the lead to eight (16-8), and a three from Braelon Walker with five minutes left gave the Lions a 26-17 lead.
 
Another Walker three and two free throws from Tharp had the Lions leading 34-25 with just over a minute to go and that proved to be the halftime score.
 
A dunk from Martin gave the Lions a 36-27 lead 30 seconds into the second half and a three from Clark with 17:35 to go kept the lead at seven (39-32). Five quick points from the Mules, however, cut it to two (39-37) with 15 minutes to go, while a free throw from Tharp made the score 42-39 with 14:15 on the clock.
 
A steal and fast-break dunk from Martin with 13:21 left gave the Lions a 44-41 lead, while a three from Clark pushed the lead back to six (47-41) with 11:20 to go. A three from Clark from 35 feet out and as time was expiring on the shot clock, pushed the Southern lead to 56-49 with 6:30 to go.
 
Central cut the lead to three (56-53) with less than five to go, but a layup from Lambert the next trip down made the score 58-53 with 4:37 left. A three from Clark gave the Lions a 61-55 lead with just less than two minutes to go, and a pair of free throws from Tharp pushed the lead to 63-55. After a steal from Tharp, Clark put in a layup to give the Lions a ten-point lead (65-55) with a minute to go and seal the win.
 
The Lions shot 42 percent from the field, and 85 percent from the free throw line in the game. Southern had a 38-30 advantage on the boards.
Southern will be back on action on Saturday when the Lions play host to Southwest Baptist. Tip off is slated for 3:30 pm.