SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri Southern men's basketball (0-0, 0-0 MIAA) dropped its exhibition test at in-state foe Missouri State (1-0, 0-0 CUSA), 88-70, Tuesday evening at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Tyrone Wright Jr. led the Lions with 21 points on 10-for-14 shooting, adding three blocks to his performance.
Jaden Taylor contributed 14 points and four assists from the guard position.
Daniel Halldorsson was active defensively, collecting three steals and three assists.
Tane Kirisome added six points and two steals off the bench.
MSSU opened the game with a strong offensive performance, highlighted by
Gavyn Elkamil's early three-pointer, which set the tone for the Lions' scoring.
Colin Ruffin contributed significantly with a three-pointer and an assist to Elkamil, helping the team establish an early 6-2 lead. Wright was instrumental in the paint, executing a series of successful plays, including a dunk and a jumper, to maintain momentum for Missouri Southern.
The Lions held a 12-6 advantage before going on a 6-0 rally to pull ahead 29-22 after a
Brayden Williams fast break lay-up with 8:04 remaining in the opening half.
Williams added another bucket to put the Lions up double-digits (34-24) at the 6:15 mark.
Despite efforts from MSU to narrow the gap, Southern sustained its advantage with contributions from Taylor and Halldorsson, who each added crucial points. The first half concluded with Missouri Southern leading the Bears 43-40.
Missouri Southern faced a challenging second half, struggling to keep pace with MSU.
Early in the half, Elkamil tied the game at 46-46 with a three-pointer at 17:26, but the Bears quickly reclaimed the lead. Ruffin and Wright each contributed key scores, but the Lions were unable to close the gap significantly, trailing throughout the half.
Despite their efforts, the Lions were outscored 48-27 in the second half, with the game concluding at a final score of 88-70 in favor of MSU.
MSSU next opens its 2025-26 regular season Friday, Nov. 14 against Arkansas Tech University. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m., CT at Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium, as the Lions host the two-day MIAA/GAC Challenge.
