By Craig Hull
sports@joplinglobe.com
PITTSBURG, Kan. — In terms of defensive looks, Missouri Southern threw the book at Haskell in the first half Saturday night.
The trapping defense that led to 37 turnovers in Friday’s victory over Missouri Science and Technology? No problem.
Full court pressure? Haskell broke it.
Man-to-man defense? The Indians dribbled and shot over it.
Finally, during a nine-minute stretch to start the second half, a simple formula of making stops and defending the passing lanes, did Southern find a defensive solution.
The Lions earned their second victory in the Pittsburg State Chatter’s-Comfort Inn and Suites Classic at John Lance Arena with a 94-71 decision over Haskell.
In the second game of the four-team classic, Spencer Magana's 3-pointer with five seconds left lifted the Gorillas to a 63-62 victory over Missouri School of Science and Technology.
Leading 50-46, Southern outscored Haskell 24-9 to start the second half with Skyler Bowlin’s free throws with 11:19 left in the half allowing the Lions to build a 19 point lead, 74-55.
“Coach stressed to us at halftime, get up the lines,” said senior guard Mariun Price who had three of the Lions’ 10 steals.
“We struggled to make stops in the first half. It seemed every shot they took went in and we lacked intensity. If we changed anything, it was the intensity, we were more focused on defense and making stops one possession at a time.”
Haskell (1-8) hit 17 of its 32 first half shots (53.1 percent) and 5 of 13 3-pointers despite turning the ball over 14 times. After jumping out to a 11-3 lead, the Indians twice held a double-digit lead, 18-8 at 13:58 and 20-10 at 12:34.
Southern was able to tie the game three times down the stretch, at 23 with 8:30 left, at 34 with 4:45 left and at 40 with 3:12 left before outscoring the Indians 10-6 in the final 3:12 for the 50-46 halftime lead.
“We just needed to make some stops,” Southern head coach Robert Corn said. “It seemed like they drove around our guys for the first half and they did shoot the ball well.
“We needed to get up in the lines and defend their passes. We did a better job of rebounding the in the second half and kept them from getting second shot opportunities.”
Senior forward DaRell Crittendon scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half to go along with seven rebounds.
Sophomore guard Jason Adams had 16 points, including a trio of dunks, to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Junior guard Bowlin added 14 points going a perfect 6 of 6 at the free throw line with eight assists.
Junior forward Chris Scruggs scored 10 points off the bench for the Lions.
Haskell struggled from the floor in the second half connecting on 1 of 10 3-point attempts and was 10 of 28 (35.7 percent) from the floor in the half while scoring only 25 points and committing 13 turnovers.
“We forced some turnovers and we started to push the ball more on offense,” Price said. “That led to some fastbreak points, easy baskets in transition and that put pressure on them making their possessions more important.”
Junior guard Dominic Clichee led Haskell with 16 points off the bench, senior guard Vince Chavez had 15, sophomore forward D.J. Fish had 14 and junior center Jimmy Wilkett added 11.
PSU 63, Missouri S&T; 62
Trailing by five, 59-54, with 1:28 left to play, Magana, the Gorillas 6-foot-4 senior guard hit the first of three straight 3-pointers to lift Pittsburg State (3-0) to the victory.
Magana's first 3-pointer came from just right of the top of the key for a 59-57 score with 1:17 left.
A pair of free throws by the Miners Bryce Foster pushed the score to 61-57 with :41 seconds remaining.
Magana drilled another trey, this time a 25-footer from the top of the key, for a 60-61 game.
Adam Knollmeyer made the first of two free throws with :17 seconds left for a 62-20 score and Magana's game-winner came from just left of the top of the key and rolled around the rim before falling through with five seconds left.
Andy Smith's steal with a second left kept Missouri Science and Technology from getting off a final shot.
Magana led PSU with 21 points including a 4 of 9 effort from behind the 3-point line. Rodney Grace and Quincy Owens added 11 each for PSU.
Byron Bundy's 16 points led Missouri S&T; (0-3).
