Topeka, Kan. – The Missouri Southern men's basketball team got a career-high 26 points from Avery Taggart, but the Lions fell 81-69 tonight on the road at Washburn.
 
Southern (14-13, 11-10 MIAA) was led by Taggart's career night as he scored 26 points on 8-of 16 shooting and 4-of-10 from long range. RJ Smith added 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while Winston Dessesow made four three's on his way to 12 points on the night.
 
Washburn (18-9, 15-6 MIAA) got 23 points from Tyler Geiman and 18 from Jalen Lewis.
 
Both teams traded buckets early on before a three from Christian Bundy with 14:26 left gave the Lions a 9-7 lead. A three from Dessesow with 13:25 on the clock kept the lead at three (12-9) for the Lions.
 
Washburn tied it at 14 and went ahead 16-14 with 10:35 left on the clock, but a pair of free throws from Lewis with 6:28 left gave the Ichabods a 25-16 lead. The Ichabod lead was ten (29-19) with 4:49 left but a jumper from Taggart with two minutes left got the Lions within three (31-28) and capped a 9-2 run for the Green and Gold. A late layup from Washburn gave the Ichabods a 36-28 lead at the break.
 
The Lions got 11 quick points to start the second half and cut the Washburn lead to just five after a three from Dessesow with 15:33 left made the score 44-39. Washburn answered right back, however, and went on a 12-2 run to lead 56-41 with 13:26 left.
 
A pair of freebies from Taggart cut the lead to nine with six to play, but the lead for Washburn was back up to 17 with a minute to go. The Lions closed the game on a 9-3 run to make the final tally 81-69.
 
The Lions will be back in action this Saturday as Southern closes out the regular season with a game at 15^th-ranked Central Oklahoma. Tip off from Edmond is slated for 3:30 pm.