MISSION, Mo. — Ireland Jones delivered a career night in front of the home crowd, but the Mission Lady Patriots came up just short Wednesday, dropping a 74–70 conference decision to Stephens College at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse.
Jones poured in 40 points and sparked a fourth-quarter rally that pulled Mission within two in the final seconds, but the Lady Patriots were unable to complete the comeback in the closing moments.
Pregame
Mission entered the night 9–10 overall and 5–4 in conference play after a dominant 92–56 road win over Crowley's Ridge College. The Lady Patriots had already defeated Stephens earlier this season, earning a 61–58 road victory to take the first meeting of the year.
Stephens arrived with a 6–12 overall record and sat at 5–3 in conference action, coming off a 64–53 loss at Columbia College.
Game Summary
Mission set the tone early, opening with a Hannah Maxwell three and riding Ireland Jones' aggressive play. Jones scored nine points in the first quarter, and Naomi Daugherty added a late basket as the Lady Patriots took a 22–20 lead after one.
The Lady Patriots stretched the margin early in the second when Jones knocked down a three at the 9:52 mark to make it 25–20. Mission continued to attack the paint, but a late surge by the visitors allowed the lead to slip, and Mission went into halftime trailing 41–36.
Out of the break, Mission looked to respond. Daugherty scored inside, and Jones followed with a driving layup to cut into the deficit. Stephens pushed the margin back out, but Jones kept Mission within reach with mid-range jumpers and trips to the line. Mission trailed 60–51 entering the fourth.
The Lady Patriots mounted their comeback in the final period. After falling behind by 14, Miya Nieto buried a three, and Jones continued to pressure the defense. Tara Masten's jumper with 1:22 left trimmed the score to 72–68 before Jones sank two free throws to make it a two-point game with under a minute to play.
Mission had opportunities in the final possessions, but shots in the lane and at the stripe would not fall, and the Lady Patriots were unable to flip the outcome despite the late push.
Stat Leaders
Mission (Mo.)
Postgame
Mission shot 41.1 percent from the field and forced nine steals, showing energy on both ends. The Lady Patriots were led by Jones, who scored more than half of Mission's points while playing the full 40 minutes.
Despite the late rally, turnovers and missed chances down the stretch kept Mission from turning momentum into a win. The Lady Patriots slip to 9–11 overall and 5–5 in AMC play.
Next Up
The Mission Lady Patriots stay home for another conference matchup, hosting the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy on Jan. 31 (Sat) at 1:00 PM at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse.
