KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Sioux Falls used a late run to hand the Lincoln men's basketball team a 64-63 loss in the 2019-20 season opener for both teams in Municipal Auditorium on Friday night (Nov. 8).

Jonell Burton led the Blue Tigers with 16 points and Cameron Potts chipped in 14. L'Kielynn Taylor nearly had a double-double, finishing with nine points, 14 rebounds, three assists and a steal.

The Blue Tigers led for nearly the entire first half, and were ahead by seven early in the second period. The Cougars battled back to take a 50-49 lead on a trey with 6:42 to play. It was one of just four three-pointers on the evening for USF, as the Blue Tigers limited Sioux Falls to .190 shooting beyond the arc.

Jonell Burton, who additionally tallied four rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals, made two free throws to put LU back on top, sparking a 6-0 Lincoln run that put the Blue Tigers ahead, 55-50, entering the game's final five minutes. Sioux Falls scored the game's next eight points, however, and led 58-55 with 4:06 to play.

The next 11 points in the contest were all free throws, with a pair from Taylor pulling the Blue Tigers to within 62-60 with a minute remaining. Lincoln forced a turnover, one of 14 on the day, for a chance to either tie the game of take the lead with 16 ticks left on the clock. LU tried three shots, but USF got a defensive board to maintain the two-point advantage.

Banzi King hit a buzzer-beating three for Lincoln's final points of the night, and ended the game with nine points and four rebounds. Lamont Ballard, Jr. also accumulated nine points, while Potts provided four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. DaMani Jarrett also had a block to go with three boards.

Jordan Notch added four points and a block to the Lincoln cause, and Marcel Burton rounded out the scoring with two points, three rebounds, an assist and a block. Zack Fields had a steal.

Lincoln remains in Kansas City to play Upper Iowa on Saturday (Nov. 9) at 6:45 p.m. CST.