JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln men's basketball team picked up its second win in a row with a 75-70 victory over Pittsburg State on Thursday night (Jan. 11).

Terrance Smith led the Blue Tigers with 19 points and blocked two shots while grabbing seven rebounds. Maurice Mason added 18 points, five boards and five assists, and Amariontez Ivory scored 14 points. Marquise Williams led LU in rebounding with nine, and chipped in eight points to go with an assist and a steal.

The win didn't come easily for Lincoln (8-8, 2-5 MIAA), as Pittsburg State (9-7, 2-5 MIAA) clawed back from a 37-25 deficit with 3:33 remaining in the first period to take a seven point advantage just under five minutes into the second half. After a Donte Makazu free throw closed the gap down to four, the Gorillas scored six of the next eight points to go up, 56-48, with 10:59 remaining.

An old-fashioned three-point play by Mason pulled LU to within one, and Lincoln kept the Pittsburg State lead within five until a trey by John Burton gave LU a 63-62 advantage with 4:50 to play. A free throw and a layup would briefly swing the advantage back towards the Gorillas, but Mason and Ivory hit back-to-back threes to but Lincoln up by four. With a little under a minute remaining, PSU cut its deficit down to two, but Lincoln made three free throws and got two big defensive rebounds from Williams to secure the victory.

Calvin Chambers scored seven points, grabbed four rebounds and dished four assists, and Burton ended his night with six points and three boards. Makazu finished with three points, while Grant Olsson tallied two boards and a steal, and Darrius Spencer contributed a rebound to the winning cause.

Pittsburg State shot .500 from the floor, but made just nine of 19 attempts from the free throw line. The Blue Tigers shot .375 overall, but .429 from long distance and .714 at the charity stripe. Lincoln also finished with 11 turnovers to the Gorillas' 16, and won the rebounding battle, 39-33.

Lincoln will go for a third-straight victory on Saturday (Jan. 13) when the Blue Tigers host Missouri Southern at 3:30 p.m. CST. It will be Faith & Family Day, and all kids will receive free admission while adults who identify as a member of a religious organization will receive a discounted $3 admission.