Women:

the end.”

Both sides looked to get run in the opening quarter, leading to hot starts for each side.

Lincoln got the opening basket of the game on a layup from Ashlyn Alloway, but the Lions responded by scoring the next seven to take a 7-2 lead with 6:35 left on the clock.

The Blue Tigers battled back to take a 12-11 advantage after Niyah Jackson converted on a three-point play.

The lead changed hands three more times in the opening quarter, the last coming after an Amaya Johns 3-pointer to send Missouri Southern to the second with an 18-16 lead.

The lead continued to bounce back and forth in the second, as there were 11 lead changes in the first half.

The Lions took the lead for good with a Lacy Stokes 3 from the top of the key and Missouri Southern took a 35-31 lead into the break.

“They went on a little run to end the half and then they started the third quarter with a little run and that hurt us,” Mize said.

Lincoln never led in the second half, as the Lions scored the first nine points of the third to extend their lead to 44-31 less than two minutes into the third quarter.

Stokes, the reigning MIAA player of the year as a freshman, finished with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steal for Missouri Southern (204, 12-4 MIAA).

Jackson led the way for Lincoln (5-16, 3-11) with 24 points.

The Blue Tigers will play at 1 p.m. Saturday against Pittsburg State at Jason Gym.