Box score | Season stats

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats played Missouri Southern without head coach Jeff Guiot and most of the contest without All-American Matt Rogers. But the Bearcats battled through illness, injury and shaky free throw shooting down the stretch to top the MSSU Lions 95-92. 

Assistant coach Tina Guiot filled in for her husband, who missed the game due to illness. Rogers went down in the first half with an injury after coming down wrong on two separate plays. Guiot spoke about the team's performance despite the adversity. "We talked about unity and how good teams run themselves," she said. "Matt went down but we kept battling. We tried to get him back but just couldn't. We stepped up and played unselfishly. Tomas Brock is a great leader and quarterback on the court. Kurt (Koenig) came up big for us and Ivan (Cropotov) played well and has improved greatly this year." 

The Bearcats, who were an MIAA-leading 77% from the foul line entering tonight's game, struggled from the line against the Lions. SBU was just 17 of 30 for the game and 11 of 21 in the second half, allowing the Lions to close the gap at the end of the game. "We couldn't hit free throws down the stretch, which made my life difficult," added Guiot. 

Koenig was one of five 'Cats in double figures with 20 points. Brock had 18 while Ryan Dougherty added 16 points. Koenig also led with nine rebounds. Freshman Ivan Cropotov had a career high 14 points. SBU led 38-34 at the half but MSSU outscored SBU in the second 58-57.

The Lions (12-8, 6-7 MIAA) were led by Jason Adams with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Skyler Bowlin added 19 points as the LIons also put five in double figures.

Rogers would leave the game with 13 minutes left in the first half with a knee injury. Following Rogers' depature, the Lions extended their first half lead to 22-11. But back came the Bearcats to take the lead behind an 18-6 run over a seven minute stretch. SBU took a four-point edge to the locker room.

In the first eight minutes of the second half, the teams stayed close with three ties and SBU's largest margin being five points. With SBU up 61-56 at the 12:34 mark, the Bearcats went on a 22-9 streak, highlighted by 12 points from Koenig, including a pair of crowd-pleasing jams. SBU led by 18 points with 5:35 remaining in the game, before the Lions raced back.

SBU missed eight freebies in the last five minutes as Southern stormed back and cut the lead to two points with eight seconds left. Dougherty hit one of two from the charity stripe before MSSU's Mariun Price missed a tying three-pointer in the closing seconds.

Guiot's coaching performance as a female guiding a men's team was reminiscent of 2003, when Tennessee State athletic director Teresa Phillips became the first woman ever to coach an NCAA Division I men's squad in a game at Austin Peay. Phillips temporarily took over the head coaching job after interim coach Hosea Perkins was suspended. Tina Guiot also coached the Bearcats in the second half at Fort Hays earlier this year, after Jeff Guiot was ejected.

Rogers, despite playing just six minutes and making just one field goal, moved into fourth place all-time on the SBU career list for field goals made with 580, surpassing Tim Elliott (1970-74).

SBU (17-5, 8-4) now is in third place in the MIAA and visits Pittsburg State on Wednesday night, starting at 7:30 p.m. from John Lance Arena in Pittsburg, Kansas.