HANNIBAL, Mo. — Mission University Lady Patriots Basketball saw its conference momentum halted on Saturday afternoon, falling 74–65 on the road to Hannibal-LaGrange. Mission dropped to 7–8 overall and 3–2 in conference play, while the Lady Trojans improved to 4–10 and secured their first conference win of the season.
Pregame
Mission entered the matchup on a high note after a dominant 91–63 home victory over Harris-Stowe, looking to continue its strong conference start. Hannibal-LaGrange came in 3–10 overall and 0–4 in conference play, most recently falling 72–69 to Central Baptist. This marked another key conference road test for the Lady Patriots as the calendar turns deeper into January.
Game Summary
Mission opened the afternoon aggressively and controlled the tempo early. Tara Masten sparked the offense with back-to-back early baskets, while Ireland Jones and Hannah Maxwell attacked the lane to build momentum. The Lady Patriots finished the first quarter strong, including a late steal and layup by Jones with six seconds left to secure a 20–15 lead after one.
The second quarter tightened considerably as Hannibal-LaGrange began finding rhythm inside. Despite a Maxwell three-pointer, Mykaela Elliott came off the bench to provide a significant spark for the Lady Trojans, repeatedly scoring at the rim. Mission continued to battle, with Jones earning multiple trips to the line and Naomi Daugherty finishing key baskets late, allowing Mission to hold a narrow 36–35 lead heading into halftime.
The third quarter proved decisive. Hannibal-LaGrange flipped the game behind Elliott's dominant stretch and timely perimeter shooting from Candice Dowell and Abby White. The Lady Trojans outscored Mission 22–12 in the frame, capitalizing on turnovers and defensive rebounds while Elliott controlled the paint. A late layup by Brooklynn Masten cut the deficit slightly, but Mission trailed 57–48 entering the fourth.
Mission made several pushes in the final period, including a three from Miya Nieto and steady scoring from Jones, but Hannibal-LaGrange continued to answer. Elliott scored from all levels, and Ainsley Diepenbrock was perfect at the free throw line to keep the Lady Trojans firmly ahead. A late three from Kayla Howell and a Maxwell three provided brief hope, but the deficit was too large to overcome as Mission fell 74–65.
Stat Leaders
Mission
Mission shot 31.3% from the field and 11.1% from three but battled for 40 rebounds and forced 27 HLG turnovers.
Hannibal-LaGrange
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Mykaela Elliott: 29 points, 10 rebounds
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Ainsley Diepenbrock: 22 points (14-for-14 FT), 10 rebounds, 8 assists
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Candice Dowell: 10 points, 8 rebounds
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Abby White: 8 points
HLG shot 48.2% from the floor and 82.4% at the line.
Postgame
Mission controlled portions of the game and led at halftime, but the third quarter swing proved costly. Despite strong performances from Jones and Maxwell and relentless rebounding effort, shooting struggles and Hannibal-LaGrange's interior efficiency ultimately determined the outcome.
Next Up
Mission returns to conference play on the road Thursday, January 15, at Columbia College for a 5:30 p.m. matchup.
