Lions fall to Northwest Missouri State, 70-67

Box Score


MARYVILLE, MO. -- Despite trailing by six with just 1:52 remaining, Missouri Southern battled back to within one with 38 seconds left, but a potential tying three-point attempt by junior Marina Caran (Kovin, Serbia) rolled off the window no good and the Lions dropped their third straight, 70-67 to Northwest Missouri State Saturday afternoon (Feb. 11) in Maryville, Mo.

Southern trailed 40-33 at the half, but outscored the Bearcats 17-9 during the first 6:39 of the second half to lead 50-49 after senior Nicole Greninger (Webb City, Mo.) nailed a three-pointer with 13:21 remaining.

Senior Dacie Reutlinger (Owasso, Okla.) scored nine of the Lions 17 points during the second-half opening run.

This turned out to be a game of runs though and Northwest responded to the Lions charge by scoring the next 11 points of the contest to take a double-digit lead of 60-50 with 9:36 left and Southern could get no closer than four until the final seconds of the game.

After Jessica Burton hit a three to put the Bearcats up 29-23 in the first half, the Lions went on a 10-0 run to take a 33-29 lead that was capped by a layup from Caran with 4:58 left in the opening half. 

However, that was the last field goal of the first half for the Lions (14-10, 6-7 MIAA) as Northwest outscored Southern 11-0 to close out the half to lead by seven at the break.  Laura Friederich scored five points during that span to lead the Bearcats (14-10, 6-7 MIAA).

Cold-shooting from the field hurt the Lions chances, particularly from three-point range.  The Lions shot 35.4 percent (23-of-65) from the field overall and only 27.3 percent (6-of-22) from beyond the arc.

The Lions hung in due to a defense that held the Bearcats to only 37.1 percent from the floor for the game and 6-of-17 from three-point distance (35.3 percent).  Northwest shot 41.2 percent from the field (14-of-34) in the first-half, but only 33.3 percent (12-of-36) in the second half.

The Lions MIAA-leading three-point defense also improved in the second half, holding Northwest to only 1-of-4 (25 percent) from beyond the arc after allowing the Bearcats to hit 5-of-13 (38.5 percent) three-pointers in the opening half.

Reutlinger finished with a career-high and game-high 22 points, to go along with a team-high seven rebounds.  Reutlinger hit 7-of-13 from the field and made all six of her free throws.  Sophomore Robin Kantin (Silver Spring, Md.) scored 16 points, while Greninger added 11 and hit 3-of-7 from three-point distance.

Friederich led four Bearcats in double-figures with 20 points, while Mandi Schumacher scored 12 and pulled down a game-high 11 boards for Northwest.

The Lions will attempt to snap their current three-game skid by welcoming Pittsburg State into the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center for the season's second edition of the Del Rio Bordertown Battle Wednesday night (Feb. 15) at 5:30 p.m.  The Lions won the season's first matchup 67-50 on Jan.11 in Pittsburg, Kan.