Southern (6-8, 1-4 MIAA) stopped a five-game skid with the win. The game included ten tied scores and 13 lead changes, with Southern's largest lead at eight with eight minutes left in the game.

The Lions took a 7-5 lead, three minutes in after a three pointer from Stanley Titsworth (Muskogee, Okla.). Both teams would trade the lead throughout the half, but Southern took it for good after a layup from Cox with a minute and a half left in the opening frame. The Lions led 28-27 at the half. Of the 13 lead changes in the game, 11 took place in the first half.

Southern led for most of the second half with the largest at eight with eight minutes to go, but a three from the Bearcats' (11-3, 4-1 MIAA) freshman Lance Sullivan tied the game at 57 with 1:50 to go. That bucket capped off a 10-2 run by Northwest.

After a turnover from Northwest's Reggie Robinson, his second in a 20-second span, the Lions took the ball and after a missed shot from Titsworth, Cox nailed the putback to put the Lions up by two. Northwest would have two chances at the game-winning shot, but a three from Sullivan wouldn't go and a shot at the buzzer wasn't close.

Titsworth led all scorers with 19 points, going 7-13 from the field and 3-4 from the free-throw line. Daniel Hurst (Hot Springs, Ark.) went 3-6 from long range and scored 12 points. Cox finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, while Dale Hunter (Seneca, Mo.) had seven boards in his first start of the season.

Southern shot 40 percent from the field and 35 percent from long range but the Lions' struggles at the free-throw line continued, going just 10-19. Northwest had 25 second chance points to the Lions' four, but Southern scored 22 points off of 25 Bearcat turnovers.

The Lions will be back in action this Saturday night, traveling to Bolivar to take on Southwest Baptist. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 pm.