JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team knocked off Lincoln Thursday in Jefferson City 82-73. The Griffons improve to 6-19 and 4-14 in the MIAA and now control their own destiny to get the final spot in the MIAA Tournament. It’s the second straight road win for MWSU and they snapped Lincoln’s four-game win streak.
Lavon Hightower and Wes Mitter had career nights in the MWSU win. Hightower scored a career-best 30 points and Mitter came off the bench for a career-high 21 points. The Griffons went into halftime with a three-point lead and momentum when Mitter nailed a three-pointer with eight seconds left in the half.
Missouri Western carried the momentum to the second half as it built a 15 point lead seven minutes into the half. Lincoln made a run to cut the lead to one possession with 7:27 left in the game. But Hightower and Mitter answered with nine straight points for MWSU to push the lead back to double digits. The Griffons shot 60 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from the three-point arc in the second half.
Missouri Western kept its postseason hopes alive with the win. MWSU tied Emporia State and took a one game lead against Northeastern State for the final spot in the MIAA Tournament. The Griffons own tiebreakers over ESU and NSU if the three teams are tied at the end of the regular season.
NOTABLES
– Wes Mitter also had a career-high five three-pointers in the win
– Lavon Hightower scored 17 of his game-high 31 points in the first half, it is the third straight game that he has scored 24 points or more
– Hightower connected on 13 field goals, a new career-best
– Missouri Western outrebounded Lincoln 37-27 and 10-7 on the offensive glass
– MWSU was 52.5 percent from the field for the game, the fourth consecutive game with a field-goal percentage better than 44 percent
– The Griffons’ 82 points is the most this season and third game in a row with at least 80 points
UP NEXT
Missouri Western travels to Lindenwood on Saturday, Feb. 24 for the final game of the regular season. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. from St. Charles, Missouri.
— MWSU Athletics —