Box

January 13, 2003

David Coutchie was the leading scorer with 17 points.

JOPLIN, MO. ... After cutting the lead to one at halftime, 40-39, the Southwest Baptist University Bearcats (3-12/0-6) couldn't keep up with Missouri Southern State University (11-4/4-2) as they cruised to a 96-66 win. MSSU outscored SBU 26-3 over a six minute span after only have a one-point lead, 44-43, with 18:30 left in the game. MSSU scored 43 points off of SBU's 27 turnovers.

David Coutchie led the Bearcats with 17 points as David Henderson added 12 points off the bench. David Martin also had 10 points. Arthur Trousdell was the leading rebounder with 10.

MSSU jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first minute but SBU came running back with seven straight points in one minute for a three-point lead, 7-4. Coutchie started the run with his first three-pointer and then Jarrett Brown and Martin added layups. Another Coutchie three-pointer at the 17:41 mark put SBU up by four, 10-6. The Bearcats extended the lead to five, twice, with the last one at the 13:03 mark when Henderson canned a three-pointer to make it 17-12. In a minute in a half, MSSU tied the game at 17 and then retook the lead with 11:06 to go. The Lions went on to take a four-point lead, 22-18, only to see it diminish again on a jumper by Coutchie and two slam dunks by Henderson in a minute for a SBU 24-22 lead (9:07). MSSU battled back, again to go up by three, 27-24. In another run of their own, SBU had a 9-1 run to go ahead five, 33-28 with 6:12 remaining. By the 4:53 mark, they still had a five-point lead, 35-30. A turnover, two missed jumpers by SBU, and a foul put MSSU back in the lead, 37-35, with 3:15 left. With 2:31 left, MSSU's Orestus Cavness put the Lions up four, 39-35, but a George Tyus dunk cut the lead to two. After a MSSU free throw, Cedric Ousley made a layup with 1:26 left in the half to bring the score to 40-39.

The first minute and a half, SBU swapped buckets with MSSU to keep the lead at one. Both SBU buckets were by Martin. With 18:30 to go, SBU was only down one, 44-43, when MSSU started to pick SBU's pocket. In the next six minutes, MSSU had seven steals which six of the steals turned into points. After that was all done, SBU was down 24 points, 70-46. The Bearcats did get the lead down to 16, 74-58, but MSSU captured some more steals to put the game away.

SBU shot 48% from the floor and 78% from the free throw line and only lost the rebounding war by four, 38-34. The difference in the game was SBU's 27 turnovers that turned into easy points for MSSU. MSSU had 18 steals on the game.

The Bearcats will host nationally ranked Washburn University at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20th in the Davison Field House.