ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Mission University Women's Basketball dropped a tightly contested conference matchup on Monday evening, falling 104–98 to UHSP at their home court in St. Louis. The loss moved the Lady Patriots to 5–7 overall and 1–1 in conference play, while UHSP improved to 4–7 overall and 2–0 in conference action.

Pregame

Monday's contest marked Mission's second conference game of the season. The Lady Patriots entered the matchup coming off a road loss at Brescia University, while UHSP was looking to rebound after a 74–60 defeat against Missouri Valley. Both teams were 1–0 in conference play entering the evening, setting the stage for an important early league matchup.

Game Summary

Mission opened the game with an early basket from Tara Masten and a first-quarter three from Miya Nieto, but UHSP answered quickly behind interior scoring from Aryanna Bull and perimeter shooting from Alina Bowden. The Lady Patriots stayed within striking distance throughout the opening quarter, with Ireland Jones connecting on two late three-pointers to keep Mission close. UHSP carried a 25–23 lead into the second quarter.

The second period saw Mission gain momentum behind Jones and Nieto. Naomi Daugherty provided a lift off the bench with a layup and free throw to tie the game at 27, and Nieto later drained back-to-back threes as Mission briefly took control. Despite multiple steals and defensive stops by Ashtyn Callaway and Tara Masten, UHSP closed the half with a late three from Ceili Ramirez, trimming Mission's lead to 44–41 at halftime.

Mission continued its push early in the third quarter, with Jones scoring inside and Nieto knocking down a jumper and a three to extend the lead to 51–45. However, UHSP responded with a sustained run fueled by Montasia McAllister and Bowden. A sequence of three-pointers, fast-break baskets, and offensive rebounds allowed UHSP to swing the momentum and build a 76–69 advantage by the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter featured a back-and-forth scoring exchange as Mission attempted to claw back into the game. Jones opened the period with a three and continued to attack the basket, while Nieto and Daugherty added points to keep the Lady Patriots within reach. UHSP, however, continued to find answers, with McAllister and Bowden combining for key perimeter shots and Bull scoring inside during critical possessions.

Despite Mission closing the game strong at the free-throw line and Jones scoring multiple late baskets, UHSP maintained its lead down the stretch and sealed the 104–98 victory.

Stat Leaders

• Ireland Jones led all scorers with 42 points, adding six rebounds and eight assists while shooting 15-of-16 from the free-throw line

• Miya Nieto scored 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including five three-pointers

• Ashtyn Callaway finished with 11 points, five rebounds, and a block

• Naomi Daugherty added 11 points and four rebounds off the bench

Mission shot 48.4% from the field and 32.1% from three-point range, while UHSP shot 50.7% overall and 38.5% from beyond the arc.

Postgame

The Lady Patriots matched UHSP shot-for-shot for much of the night, posting their highest point total of the season. However, UHSP's third-quarter surge and efficiency from deep proved decisive. Mission showed resilience late, continuing to pressure defensively and score until the final buzzer, but could not overcome the late deficit.

Next Up

Mission will return to the road on Thursday, Dec. 18, traveling to Southwest Baptist University for an 11:00 a.m. exhibition game.