Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern men's basketball team had a shot as time was expiring, but couldn't get the bucket to fall and the Lions lost on the road at Pittsburg State, 73-71.
 
Southern (13-12, 10-9 MIAA) got 22 points and seven rebounds from Avery Taggart as Stan Scott scored 13 and RJ Smith added 10.
 
Pitt (8-18, 7-13 MIAA) got 20 points and four assists from Tyler Hawkins, while Bobby Arthur Williams II scored 15 and Magic Reliford added 14.
 
The two teams traded buckets and leads in the first half, but a jumper from Alex Jones with 7:10 left gave Southern a 26-21 lead.
 
Pitt answered with back-to-back three's to go up 27-26, but a three from Lawson Jenkins tied the score at 29 with 3:49 to go. A jumper from Jones with 16 seconds left made the score 37-36, PSU at the break.
 
The Gorilla went up eight (46-38) with 17:21 left in the second half, but a layup from Taggart and a jumper from Smith, the latter at 13:37 on the clock, gave the Lions a 48-46 lead. A three from Taggart with 9:42 left gave the Lions a five-point lead (59-54) and a three from Christian Bundy with six to go kept the lead at five (66-61).
 
The Gorillas got a pair of free throws from Tyler Hawkins to go up 69-68 with 2:18 to go, and a layup from Reliford gave PSU a 72-68 lead with 18 seconds left.
 
Jenkins hit a three with eight seconds to go to get the Lions within three (72-71) and the Gorillas answered with a free throw with seven seconds left gave the Lions the ball, trailing by two.
 
Jenkins got the rebound and dribbled down the court but his three-point shot was no good.
 
The Lions shot 52 percent from the field and 40 percent from long-range, while posting a 34-25 advantage in rebounds.
 
Southern will be right back at it as the Lions travel to Missouri Western Monday night. Tip off from St. Joseph is set for 5:30 pm.