JOPLIN, Mo.- Southern Nazarene hit the road to Joplin, Missouri, to take on Missouri Southern State in what turned out to be a gritty, back and forth battle.

The Lions (5-4,0-0 MIAA) got things rolling early with Ryan Franklin sinking a smooth jumper and Kaitlin Hunnicutt driving to the basket for a layup. SNU's (2-3, 0-0 GAC) Umi Otsuka tacked on a layup with help from Hannah Giddey. The Crimson Storm trailed the Lions 15-8 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, The Storm's Braci Nyberg sparked some energy with a three pointer, assisted by Otsuka. Jena Bay added a few driving layups, keeping SNU in the fight. MSSU's Kennedy Roach delivered another layup before halftime, but Missouri Southern held a 30-22 lead going into the break.

The third quarter saw Katie King drain a couple of clutch three pointers, giving the Storm a boost. Jordan Hoffman added points at the free throw line, but turnovers and missed shots allowed Missouri Southern to keep their lead. By the end of the quarter, the Storm still trailed 54-42.

In the final quarter, MSSU's Kaitlin Hunnicutt hit another big three, while SNU's Carley Gasaway added a layup to close the gap. Jena Bay capped off her night with another driving layup and Katie King stayed calm under pressure, sinking free throws to finish with 19 points. 

Despite their late push, the hard fought victory went to Missouri Southern, with the Lions securing a 68-60 win.

Next Up
The Crimson Storm will take on Angelo State University in the Sawyer Center on Tuesday, November 26th at 5:30 pm.