Final Score: Mission University 67, William Woods University 54
Location: Mission University (W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse) Springfield, Missouri
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri – The Lady Patriots struggled to survive in the first half due to foul trouble. Through much of the second quarter the Lady patriots played with five guards on the floor. The first quarter began with a 14-2 MU lead over the first four and a half minutes. Then the fouls began to mount. The Lady Patriots wound up holding a narrow 15-14 advantage after the first ten minutes. The Lady Owls took the lead less than a minute into the second quarter, but a
Laney Humble layup helped MU take it back, 17-16. The Lady Owls then connected for a three-pointer and a 19-17 advantage with 8:21 remaining in the first half. Again, MU and Humble answered with a layup to tie the contest at 19-19. William Woods then went on a 7-0 run to lead 26-19 at 3:38. The Lady Owls' lead fluctuated from 6 to 8 points until a
Cassidy Hambelton nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer of the second period to pull the Lady Pats to within 33-28.
In the third quarter, both teams scored a bucket in the first minute, and then the Lady Patriots' inside players went to work.
Heaven Shockley hit three baskets in the first four times she touched the ball in the third quarter after a long hiatus during the first half, gaining the lead for good for the Lady Patriots. MU then relied on the shooting of
Josie Sullivan after her long absence during the first half. The margin 43-37, MU, after a second set of two free throws made by Sullivan at 4:52 to go in the third period. The Lady Owls scratched and clawed their way back to within 43-42, a minute later, but Shockley answered. When the lead became 50-42, MU with two minutes remaining in the third quarter WWU took a timeout. The quarter ended on a Hambelton layup to give the Lady Pats a 52-43 margin heading into the fourth quarter. Back-to-back layups by Hambelton and
Brooklyn Luna to begin the final period, pushed the advantage to 56-43 at 9:34. The score would remain that for two more minutes until Luna canned a trey to make it 59-43. The MU lead stayed at 14 to 16 points for most of the rest of the fourth quarter.
HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT
The Lady Patriots play in the AMC Tournament in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, on the campus of Williams Baptist University on Friday, February 28, as the number 3 seed against number 6 William Woods University at 2:15 pm.
