PITTSBURG, Kan. — Five Lions finished in double-figures scoring as Missouri Southern men's basketball defeated Maryville, 114-78, in a neutral-site matchup Friday afternoon at John Lance Arena.
MSSU scored 61 points in the first half to establish a commanding lead, with 56 points coming from inside the paint. The team's bench contributed significantly, adding 59 points to the total. The Saints were unable to overcome 16 turnovers, which led to 23 points for the Lions.
With the win, MSSU improved to 3-1 after a 1-1 finish at the 2025 Pitt State Classic. Maryville is now 0-4 this season.
Isaiah Atwater scored a season-best 21 points, including going 5-for-5 on 3-pointers (8-for-11overall shooting), to pace the Lions scoring.
Jaden Taylor posted 20 points and contributed four assists and three boards, demonstrating his effectiveness on both ends of the court. The Memphis, Tennessee, senior guard, has now opened the season with four-straight games with 20 or more points.
Tyrone Wright Jr. recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, providing a strong presence in the paint.
Daniel Halldorsson added 13 points and dished out three assists, further bolstering the team's offensive efforts. It marked the first double-digit point game as a Lion for the sophomore from Reykjavik, Iceland.
Tane Kirisome rounded out the double-figure scoring Lions, adding 10 points and shooting 2-for-3 from distance.
MSSU dominated the first half, establishing a strong lead with a 61-33 advantage over the Saints. The Lions started with a triple from Kirisome just 11 seconds into the game, followed by Taylor's layup to set the tone.
Halldorsson nailed a 3-pointer at 13:57 to extend the lead to 21-9.
Taylor continued to drive the offense, contributing multiple baskets, including a fast-break layup at 7:55 to push Southern ahead 38-20.
Wright was effective on the boards, securing several offensive rebounds and converting them into points. Maryville attempted to keep pace, but Southern's defensive pressure resulted in 11 turnovers by the Saints.
Atwater closed the half with a pair of 3-pointers, further extending the lead (61-32).
Missouri Southern extended its lead significantly in the second half, starting with a tip-in by Wright at 18:41 (65-35).
The Lions started the second half with a scoring drive, highlighted by Kirisome's jumper followed by Wright's tip-in, extending their lead to 69–35 early in the second.
The Saints attempted a response with a series of layups, including a bucket from Cameron Liggins at 16:28 (70-37), but MSSU continued to dominate.
Taylor added to the Lions' score with a jumper, and
Gavyn Elkamil hit a trey to push the lead to 73–37.
Cody Lechlider's defensive rebound and subsequent three-pointer at 7:51 further extended the lead to 97–57.
As the game closed,
Hunter Fitch and Lechlider combined for a fast-break dunk, capping a strong performance.
Fitch's late three-pointer at 1:48 (112-74) helped seal the decisive win, with the Lions outscoring Maryville 53-45 in the second half, leading to a final score of 114-78.
MSSU's 114 points scored is the highest point total for the Lions, since Southern registered 137 against Baptist Bible College on Nov. 29, 2018 (137-50).
Missouri Southern next returns home for a pair of contests over Thanksgiving week to open a six-game homestand. The Lions host Rockhurst on Tuesday, Nov. 25 before taking on Tabor College to conclude the week on Nov. 29. Game times are set for 5:30 p.m., CT and 1 p.m. at Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium.
