Southern (9-13, 4-9 MIAA) took a 27-25 lead with 5:54 left in the first half on a jumper from TJ Britton (Poplar Bluff, Mo.). The game was tied at 33, but a layup from Deonte Cox (St. Louis, Mo.) gave the Lions a lead they'd keep for the rest of the half, going into the locker room, up 42-37.

Cox had 15 points at the break, while Britton scored ten. Emporia's (19-2, 10-2) Donta Watson led the Hornets with 12 points at the break.

A jumper from Townsend with 16 minutes left tied the game again at 45. A three from Daniel Hurst (Hot Springs, Ark.), one of six on the night for the freshman, gave the Lions a lead they'd hold until the ten minute mark when Townsend again tied the game. Two free throws from Emporia's Caleb Tegtmeier tied the game at 62 with six minutes to go, and a layup from Ed Desir gave the Hornets a two point advantage (64-62).

The lead would be four (66-62) with just under five minutes to play, before an 8-2 run by the Lions capped by two threes from Hurst in back-to-back possessions gave the Lions a two point lead with two minutes to go. Two free throws from Britton made the lead four, but Townsend was fouled attempting a three and converted each shot to cut the lead to one. After a missed free throw from Cox, Emporia set up a play and with seven seconds left, Townsend drove the left side of the lane and hit a running layup to put the Hornets up by one. A last second three point attempt from Matt Habermehl (Independence, Mo.) would not fall.

Hurst led all scorers with a career-high 21 points, going 6-8 from the three point line and making 3-5 shots from the free-throw line. Cox was 8-12 from the field and scored 20 points while pulling down a game-high nine boards. Britton had 17 points and eight rebounds, while Ryerson scored seven and dished out 11 assists. Habermehl had eight rebounds.

The Lions out rebounded Emporia 37-32 and shot 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from long range. Twenty-two turnovers led to 17 ESU points, and the Lions allowed 12 offensive rebounds which ESU turned into 13 second chance points.

The Lions are now in a tie for seventh place with Fort Hays as the Tigers defeated Central Missouri at home tonight. Northwest Missouri is all alone atop the standings at 11-2, while ESU clinched a spot in the MIAA Tournament with the win tonight and are second at 10-2, tied with UCM.

Southern will be back at Leggett & Platt this Saturday, when the Lions play host to Southwest Baptist at 7:30 pm.