Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern men's basketball team hosted the Southwest Baptist Bearcats at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in a thrilling matchup.
Jaden Taylor led the Lions with a career-high 27 points, showcasing his dominance throughout the game. In overtime,
Martin Macenis stepped up, scoring six of Southern's 12 points to help secure a hard-fought victory, 89-87.
Missouri Southern (2-3) | Southwest Baptist (1-1)
Half 1: Missouri Southern 44 | Southwest Baptist 42
Martin Macenis started the scoring with a layup, but the Bearcats quickly responded to even the game.
Jaden Taylor broke the tie with a jumper and followed up with a three-pointer, giving the Lions a 7-2 lead. Southwest Baptist chipped away and tied the game again at 16-16 with a three-pointer. However, Taylor regained the lead for the Lions with a layup, sparking a 15-point run.
Justin Duff (layup and three-pointer),
Sam Thompson (layup and free throw), and Taylor (three-pointer and jumper) all contributed to the surge, pushing the score to 31-16.
The Bearcats rallied with three three-pointers, trimming the gap to 44-40. Southern held firm, taking a 44-42 lead into halftime.
Half 2: Missouri Southern 77 | Southwest Baptist 77
Missouri Southern came out strong, setting the tone early with a five-point burst courtesy of a
Martin Macenis three-pointer and a smooth jumper from
Jaden Taylor. The Lions stayed aggressive on offense, trading baskets with Southwest Baptist before creating separation midway through the second half. Key back-to-back layups from
Tyriqe Jackson and Macenis pushed Southern's lead to 59-50, giving the Lions valuable momentum.
Southwest Baptist chipped away at the deficit and narrowing the gap to just three points at the eight-minute mark (68-65) The battle stayed tight in the final minutes of the game as the Bearcats evened the score 77-77 with 27 second on the clock, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime: Missouri Southern 89 | Southwest Baptist 87
Martin Macenis opened overtime with a hook shot to give the Lions a 79-77 lead, followed by another hook from
Jaden Taylor. The Bearcats tied the game at 83-83, but
Tyrone Wright's dunk put Southern back on top, 85-83. The Lions held their lead in the final moments to secure an 89-87 victory.
Missouri Southern Leaders:
Scoring Leader: Jaden Taylor – 27
Rebounding Leader: Tyrone Wright – 8
Assist Leader: Jaden Taylor - 6
Steal Leader Justin Duff / Isaiah Atwater – 2
Southwest Baptist Leaders:
Scoring Leader: Mitch Ganote – 19
Rebounding Leader: Jevin Sullivan – 11
Assist Leader: Mitch Ganote – 10
Steal Leader: Mitch Ganote / Drenin Dinkins – 2
Up Next:
The Lions take back to the court on Friday, November 22 when they travel to Kansas City, Mo. to take on the Rockhurst University Hawks. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm.
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