Final Score:   Mission University 84, Crowley's Ridge College 71
Location:  Mission University (W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse) Springfield, Missouri
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri – The Lady Patriots opened the game with a strong first quarter, winning it 26-14, then had to stave off numerous Crowley's Ridge rallies to stay in the AMC hunt for first.   The Lady Pioneers playing without two starters, rose to the occasion with tough and rugged defense.  Heaven Shockley scored six of the team's first nine points as the Lady Pats led 9-5 after three minutes of play.  Twice within the opening period Crowley's Ridge got to within a point, but Mission gradually built a nice 26-14 cushion after the first ten minutes.  The lead got as high as fourteen, 28-14, early in the second quarter.  A Lady Pioneer 10-2 run midway through the second period helped them to pull within 32-24 at the 4:34 mark.  The two squads would trade points the rest of the first half resulting in a 41-33 halftime advantage for MU.
In the third quarter, CRC made the first two buckets of the period to draw within four points causing a Lady Patriot timeout.  A Lady Pioneer trey at 7:02 gave Crowley's Ridge College their first lead, 44-43, since the first minute of the contest.  The Lady Pioneers would score on their next possession to go up 46-43.  Fortunately, the Lady Pats did not panic.  Cassidy Hambelton hit a three-pointer to answer, tying the game at 46-46 to begin a 7-0 Mission run.  Laney Humble hit a key trey at 3:52 to answer a Lady Pioneer thre3-pointer to give MU a 53-49 advantage.  Josie Sullivan scored on a jumper next, then CRC made two buckets, around another Humble trey making it 58-53, MU.  Sullivan and Hambelton each made close-in shots to push the margin to 62-53 at 2:05 left in the third quarter.  Thirty seconds later, Sullivan canned a jumper from beyond the arc to push the lead to double figures, 65-53.  The quarter came to an end after both teams scored two more points, 67-55, MU.  Neither team scored in the first minute and a half of the final period, until Sullivan made a nice 10 foot baseline jumper.  The Lady Patriots maintained a double digit lead, for the most part, for the remainder of the contest to win 84-71.
HIGHLIGHTS

• Josie Sullivan led the Lady Patriots with 24 Points.
• Cassidy Hambelton had an all-around game, leading the team with 7 Assists, while also scoring in double figures.
• Karlie Sampson had a monster game on the backboards, pulling down 14 caroms to lead both teams.  She also contributed 3 Steals.
• Other players in double figures: Hambelton 19, Laney Humble 13, and Heaven Shockley 10 Points.

UP NEXT 
The Lady Patriots go on the road next week with three away games.  First up is a trip to Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, to take on the AMC leader, Williams Baptist at 5:30 pm, Tuesday, February 11.  The Lady Patriots are currently in third place, two games back in the AMC standings.