The Lincoln men's basketball team had a chance to move up to a tie for second place in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association standings Thursday, but the Blue Tigers weren't able to keep up with Missouri Southern in an 85-67 loss at Jason Gym.
Instead of moving up a spot, Lincoln moved down into a tie for fourth with Fort Hays State. Missouri Southern is now tied with Lindenwood for second place with Northwest Missouri holding down the lead.
The Lions and Blue Tigers entered the game as the top two scoring teams in the MIAA, but the Lions were able to hit shots seemingly from anywhere on the floor while Lincoln struggled at times to knock in any.
The Lions shot nearly 55 percent compared to 38 percent for Lincoln.
"We did a little bit of everything on defensively, but they were able to make shots," Lincoln coach John Moseley said.
Taevaunn Prince of Missouri Southern entered the game tied for the top spot in NCAA Division II in scoring and lived up to the billing with 29 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Lincoln was able to hold him to just six points on 1-for-3 shooting in the first half, but at one point, he scored 10 straight points in the second half.
"I thought O'Shai Clark did a tremendous job on him in the first half," Moseley said. "We let him jump on other guys in the second half and it hurt us."
Lincoln got within three after a Jaylon Smith 3-pointer with 14:36 remaining, but Prince scored the next 10 points in a three-minute span.
Prince made one 3-pointer during the run and got fouled on another 3-point attempt, making all three free throws.
"I don't know a coach that likes to foul a jump shooter," Moseley said. "If they make those shots with a hand in his face you've just got to live with it."
Between Prince's 3-pointer and the foul, Lincoln missed three 3-pointers during one possession.
Lincoln tried to come back.
The Blue Tigers got within 67-56 with 8:09 remaining after a Smith layup and an Anthony Virdure 3-pointer from the corner.
But the Lions had an answer as they scored the next five points in the game.
Lincoln got back within 11 with nearly four minutes remaining thanks to a Virdure 3 and a Clark free throw.
But Missouri Southern answered again. this time with another 3.
MIssouri Southern shot 11-of-22 from beyond the arc in the contest.
Virdure tied a season-high with 32 points, going 5-for-12 from beyond the arc.
Smith added three 3s on his way to 12 points. Richie Lewis chipped in 11 points.
Lincoln's next highest scorer was Clark with six.
Charlie Brown (19), Austin Wright (15) and Bruce Marshall (13) all scored in double figures for the Lions.
Lincoln (11-7 overall, 7-5 MIAA) will try to end a two-game losing skid when it hosts Pittsburg State at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Follow sports reporter Jason Strickland on Twitter for updates during games.