JOPLIN, Mo. – Griffon Men's Basketball (14-12, 10-5) scored four more points from the field than No. 14 Missouri Southern (19-5, 12-3), nine more points than the Lions from beyond the arc, but 31 Southern points at the free throw line were 17 more than the Griffons knocked down in a 97-87 Southern victory. The loss ended Missouri Western's win streak at seven games.
 
Missouri Western shot 52.5% from the field, going 32 for 61 and were 9 for 23 from 3-point range, but 12 missed free throws hurt the Griffons' chances in Joplin. The Lions staked their biggest lead of the game, 77-60, with 9:37 left, but MWSU would not go away. The Griffons used a 12-0 run after Southern star Cam Martin picked up his third and fourth fouls to cut the lead to just five, 77-72. That prompted Southern head coach Jeff Boschee to bring Martin back in the game which prompted a 7-0 Lion run. The Griffons never got back within single digits.
 
NOTABLES

• Southern's Martin scored a Leggett & Platt Athletic Center record 45 points with 10 rebounds. Martin was 17 for 17 at the charity stripe and 13 of 27 from the field.
• Missouri Western played without its second-leading scorer, Tyus Millhollin, who did not make the trip due to an illness.
• Southern scored 48 of its points in the paint, 10 more than the Griffons.
• Tyrell Carroll was 10 of 20 from the field, scoring a career-high 30 points with seven rebounds, eight assists and a steal.
• JaRon Thames registered his first career double-double with 14 points and a career and team-high 10 rebounds.
• Reese Glover scored all 21 of his points in the second half, going 5 of 11 from 3-point range and 7 for 15 from the field.
• Will Eames scored 10 points and had eight rebounds.

 
UP NEXT
Missouri Western wraps up the regular season at home with four straight games in the MWSU Fieldhouse. The first comes on Feb. 19 against Pittsburg State.