Box Score

JOPLIN, Mo.-Northwest Missouri State committed a season-high 32 turnovers and scored a season-low 63 points in an 88-63 loss to Missouri Southern Wednesday at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. Elijah Allen scored 18 second-half points and finished with a career-high 26 to lead the Bearcats.

The loss dips Northwest (8-9) below .500 for the first time this season. The Bearcats'' 3-7 mark at the midway point of conference play places them in a three-way tie with Washburn and Emporia State for seventh place. The top eight teams qualify for the MIAA tournament.

Skyler Bowlin came off the bench to lead Missouri Southern with 19 points. He also handed out seven assists. Keane Thomann added 18 points and Jason Adams, 17, for the Lions (11-6, 5-5).

Allen shot 10-of-12 from the field to record his seventh 20-point performance of the season. He also had eight rebounds, a block and two steals. Northwest shot 47 percent from the field, but was 4-of-17 from three-point range and was outscored 23-11 at the free-throw line.

Days after turning in the best performance of his young career, freshman DeShaun Cooper played in a game he''ll soon forget. Cooper committed 12 turnovers and fouled out after playing just 15 minutes. He scored two points.

There was some good news to come out of Joplin. The Bearcats welcomed back freshman guard Bryston Williams, who missed eight games with a leg injury. He had two points and four rebounds in 18 minutes. Edriss Floyd also returned to the court after sitting out the last three halves.