Southern (10-5, 4-2 MIAA) jumped out to a seven point lead (23-16) after a free throw from Vincent Ateba with 10:13 left to go in the first half. The lead would be seven three more times, the last at 30-23 with 6:05 left to play, before the Bearcats (12-3, 5-1 MIAA) went on an 11-2 run capped off by a three pointer by Nick Kovacevich to take a 34-32 lead. A three from Southern's Tony Webb with two seconds left made the half time score, 42-39, SBU.

SBU made 10 three pointers in the first half, shooting 44 percent from long range. The Lions forced nine turnovers in the half, bout could only score two points off of the miscues.  

Southern would never re-gain the lead, but came as close as two points after a free throw from Skyler Bowlin made the score 48-46 with 16:36 left. The SBU lead grew to as much 15, twice, both after three's from D'Ante Harris.

Ateba led the Loins with 17 points and eight rebounds, while dishing out four assists. Bowlin scored 15, while Matt Monroe had 14 off the bench. Monroe was a perfect 5-5 from the field, 1-1 from long range and 3-3 from the charity stripe. TJ Britton scored 10 points.

SBU made 17 three's on the night shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc. That ties the record for the most three's a Southern team has ever given up in a game. The only other time an opponent has made that many long range shots was in the 2005 MIAA Tournament Championship game when Central Missouri hit 17.

Kovacevich led three difference Bearcats with 20 or more points. He had 22 points on 6-7 shooting from long range. Harris scored 21, while Brandon Burgette had 20. Matt Rogers had eight points and 11 rebounds, while Jim Grabowski scored 11.

The Lions now sit alone in second place in the MIAA at 4-2. They will play host to Emporia State on Wednesday, January 23 at 7:30 pm. The Hornets won in overtime at Central Missouri tonight to put them in a tie for third place.