SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Mission University Lady Patriots bounced back in conference play Wednesday night, using a fast start and steady offensive pressure to defeat Cottey College 88–63 in an AMC matchup inside W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse. Mission improved to 8–10 overall and 4–4 in conference play, while the Lady Comets fell to 4–13 overall and 3–5 in AMC action.
Pregame
Mission entered the home AMC contest looking to respond after an 86–54 loss to Williams Baptist, sitting at 7–10 overall and 3–4 in conference play. Cottey arrived at 4–12 overall and 3–4 in the AMC, coming off a 79–54 win over Hannibal-LaGrange.
The matchup featured a chance for the Lady Patriots to reestablish tempo on both ends against a Cottey squad that had shown recent momentum.
Game Summary
Mission set the tone early with defensive pressure and second-chance points. After Gabrielle Burrus opened the scoring for Cottey, Naomi Daugherty answered with a layup, and Tara Masten followed with a transition basket to give Mission its first lead.
Ireland Jones began attacking downhill, finding Daugherty for finishes inside and knocking down her own layup at the 2:51 mark. Masten added two three-pointers late in the quarter, and Jones capped the run with a steal and layup before assisting another Masten triple. Mission closed the opening period on a surge to take a 23–8 advantage.
The Lady Patriots kept control in the second quarter. Masten opened with a layup, and Daugherty continued to dominate the paint with putbacks and finishes off Jones assists. Jones scored on back-to-back possessions midway through the period, and Miya Nieto drilled a three at the 3:46 mark to stretch the margin.
Jones closed the half in rhythm, knocking down a three with 1:19 remaining and another with 0:29 left, sending Mission into the break with a commanding 42–27 lead.
Mission pushed the tempo after halftime. Daugherty scored on an offensive rebound, and Nieto followed with a three to open the third quarter. Hannah Maxwell connected from deep, and Jones continued orchestrating, assisting on multiple perimeter looks while finishing at the rim.
Jones added a layup and a three during a key stretch, while Daugherty stayed active inside. Despite a brief response from Cottey, Mission extended the lead to 64–42 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Lady Patriots never let up in the final period. Masten scored on the opening possession, and Jones followed with a steal and three-pointer to push the lead past 25. Jones added another jumper and later a third three of the quarter, keeping Mission in full control.
Jayla Kirksey provided energy with a three-point play, and Lauren Carson knocked down a corner three off an Ashtyn Callaway assist. Alyssa Burch sealed the night with two free throws in the final seconds as Mission closed out the 88–63 AMC victory.
Stat Leaders
Ireland Jones: 33 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
Naomi Daugherty: 16 points, 16 rebounds
Tara Masten: 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 threes
Miya Nieto: 7 points, 4 rebounds
Jayla Kirksey: 7 points, 3 rebounds
Postgame
Mission's balance and efficiency stood out. The Lady Patriots shot 50.0 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from three while forcing 16 turnovers that fueled transition opportunities. Daugherty controlled the glass with a double-double, and Jones paced the offense with her scoring and playmaking.
After a tough outing in their previous game, the Lady Patriots responded with pace, ball movement, and sustained pressure on both ends.
Next Up
Mission heads back on the road for another AMC matchup, traveling to Crowley's Ridge College on Friday, Jan. 23 at 1:00 p.m. as the Lady Patriots look to build on the momentum from their home conference win.
