Joplin, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Men's Basketball team hosted the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Lions. Both teams fought hard throughout the game, but Missouri Southern seized the momentum late in the second half, capitalizing on Arkansas-Fort Smith's fouls to claim the victory.
Missouri Southern (7-6, 2-2 MIAA) | Arkansas – Fort Smith (6-7, 0-4 MIAA)
Half 1: Missouri Southern 39 | Arkansas – Fort Smith 39
Tyrique Brooks broke the defensive stalemate with a clutch three-pointer with 18:26 on the clock. Arkansas–Fort Smith responded with a nine-point run before
Martin Macenis ended their momentum with a layup at 14:16. Macenis ignited the 13-point run for Southern, fueled by
Justin Duff (six points) and
Jaden Taylor (two points), giving Southern a 15-9 advantage. Arkansas–Fort Smith responded with a rally to reclaim the lead at 27-23.
With under two minutes remaining in the half, Arkansas–Fort Smith maintained a slim advantage before a three-pointer and a dunk by
Tyriqe Jackson sparked a Missouri Southern surge. A layup by Taylor capped the run, evening the score at 39-39 as the teams headed into halftime.
Half 2: Missouri Southern 89 | Arkansas – Fort Smith 80
Arkansas–Fort Smith opened the second half with the first basket, but
Tyrique Brooks and
Martin Macenis answered with back-to-back buckets to give Missouri Southern a two-point edge at 43-41. With 16:19 remaining, Arkansas–Fort Smith rallied again, reclaiming a narrow 50-48 lead.
Both teams traded baskets, with neither gaining a clear advantage, leaving the score tied at 72-72 with 5:13 remaining. Brooks sank two free throws after an Arkansas–Fort Smith foul, igniting Missouri Southern's momentum. The surge was fueled by contributions from
Tyrone Wright,
Tyriqe Jackson, and
Justin Duff. Duff sealed the rally with a pair of free throws and a jumper, securing an 89-80 victory for Missouri Southern.
Missouri Southern Leaders:
Scoring Leader: Martin Macenis /
Tyrique Brooks – 19
Rebounding Leader: Four Players – 4
Assist Leader: Martin Macenis – 9
Steal Leader: Tyriqe Jackson /
Ibn Loyal – 2
Arkansas – Fort Smith Leaders:
Scoring Leader: Terrell Williams Jr. / VJ Reeves – 15
Rebounding Leader: Tommie Williams – 5
Assist Leader: Isaiah Lewis – 4
Steal Leader: Terrell Williams Jr. – 2
Up Next:
Men's Basketball will return on Tuesday, January 7, when they travel to take on the Pittsburg State University Gorillas. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM.
-Lions-
