FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 3, 2007

Lions stop losing streak with 70-61 road win at Fort Hays State

Box Score

Hays, Kan. - A layup from Tynesha Pierce (Houston, Texas) with 14 minutes remaining in the first half, gave Missouri Southern a lead they wouldn't relinquish and the Lions stopped a seven game losing streak with a 70-61 road win at Fort Hays State tonight.

Southern (11-9, 4-8 MIAA) now moves into a three way tie for sixth place with Southwest Baptist and Pittsburg State, both of which the Lions will play at home in the coming weeks.

After a three from Danielle DeVader (Holton, Kan.) started things off, both teams jockeyed for the lead. However, a layup from Pierce gave the Lions a 9-7 lead at the 14 minute mark and they wouldn't look back. Robin Kantin (Silver Spring, Md.) had four threes in the half and the Lions went into the locker room up by 12, 39-27.

Four early points from Dana-Mae Robbs (Lecompton, Kan.) pushed the Lions lead to 13 just two minutes in. The lead was as large as 14 after a jumper from Ela Zawdka (Torun, Poland) made the score 57-43 with just over ten minutes left in the game. Another three from Kantin and Zawadka again gave the Lions leads of 14. Hays (11-9, 3-9 MIAA) got as close as eight twice, but couldn't recover.

Kantin had her second double-double of the season with 18 points and ten rebounds, going 5-10 from long range and 3-4 from the free-throw line. Fatai Hala'api'api (Maui, Hawaii) had 14 points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes of work, while Robbs and Pierce scored 13 and 10, respectively. Karina Kusczynski (East Troy, Wisc.) had 13 rebounds, the third highest ever in a game at Southern, while playing all 40 minutes of the game. Both Robbs and Kantin were on the court for the entire game, logging 40 minutes of play.

The Lions out rebounded Fort Hays 45-28 and outscored the Lady Tigers 22-12 in the paint.

Southern will come home to face off with Emporia State this Wednesday night at 5:30 pm in the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. ESU took down previously undefeated Missouri Western tonight at home, winning by 20, 83-63.