From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

PITTSBURG, Kan. — After trailing most of the regulation 40 minutes, Missouri Southern ran off 11 straight points to start overtime and downed Evangel 91-83 Saturday night at John Lance Arena in Pittsburg State’s Chatters/Comfort Inn Classic.

Freshman forward Jason Adams and sophomore guard Skyler Bowlin combined for 15 points in the five-minute extra period and established career highs as the Lions improved to 7-0 entering Wednesday night’s MIAA opener at Truman State.

Adams poured in 27 points in 30 minutes off the bench, hitting 10 of 13 field goals, 2 of 3 from beyond the arc and 5 of 7 free throws. Adams slammed two dunks within a matter of seconds off passes from Bowlin during the Lions’ overtime burst.

Bowlin registered a double-double with career bests of 22 points and 11 assists in 39 minutes. He hit two treys while making 7 of 13 shots from the floor and all six free throws.

Guards Tony Webb and Mariun Price added 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the Lions, who were 4 of 4 from the field and 12 of 13 at the foul line while outscoring the Crusaders 20-12 in overtime.

Adams ignited the Lions in OT with a blocked shots and two free throws. Vincent Ateba’s layin after a steal, two free throws by Price, Adams’ back-to-back dunks and an Ateba charity made it 82-71 with two minutes remaining before Evangel’s Chad Gillaspy scored on a dunk.

“Jason had a tremendous basketball game,” Lions head coach Robert Corn said. “He stepped up and made some big baskets for us, and he made some big plays in overtime. The first possession when they were going in for a short shot, he came out of nowhere and blocked the shot. From that moment it seemed like we were a little quicker to the basketball. Later he got a couple of dunks in transition that energized our team.”

The Lions scored first on Bowlin’s layup 20 seconds after the opening tip before the Crusaders went on a 13-0 run in the next four minutes. The Lions, who trailed 21-9 midway through the first half and 35-29 at the intermission, didn’t lead again until Adams hit a jumper to make it 49-47 with 11 minutes left.

There were seven lead changes and six ties the rest of regulation. The Lions used a Price jumper and Bowlin 3-pointer for a 69-69 tie, and they pulled even at 71-all on Ateba’s basket — his first of the game — with 32 seconds to play. Ateba was fouled on the shot but missed the free throw, and Evangel’s Shane Nicholson missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“It was definitely a struggle and a grind,” Corn said. “We were fortunate to get to overtime. Their kids had to play a lot of minutes (Friday) night in a tough ball game, and the extra five minutes wore them down. That’s one thing we wanted to do was keep pressure on them and hopefully the last seven or eighy minutes their shots would start falling a little short, and that’s what happened.”

Jackson Capel, who fired in 40 points in Evangel’s 98-94 overtime victory over Pittsburg State on Friday night, had 15 points to pace six players in double figures for the Crusaders (4-3).

Pittsburg State, 65-55

Guard Spencer Magana netted 20 points as the Gorillas (3-2) downed Henderson State in the classic finale.