Springfield, Mo. — February 21, 2026
Mission University closed out the regular season Saturday afternoon at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse, dropping an 87-83 decision to Crowley's Ridge in a tightly contested conference matchup.
Pregame
Mission entered the afternoon 10-17 overall and 5-8 in conference play following an 89-85 home win over Ecclesia earlier in the week.
Saturday marked Senior Day for the Patriots, honoring Najee Williams, DJ Prater, Clifford Barrow, Justin Wormell, and Ty O'Neal prior to tipoff.
Game Summary
Mission wasted no time getting on the board, as Clifford Barrow knocked down a three-pointer on the Patriots' opening possession. Crowley's Ridge responded with a quick scoring run and built an early 14-6 lead behind perimeter shooting.
The Patriots answered midway through the first half. Barrow connected from deep multiple times, and a three from Rayshaun Fowler gave Mission a 22-19 advantage at the 10:59 mark. Justin Gill provided a spark off the bench with second-chance points, and Jamarian Cato converted a three-point play to keep the Patriots within reach.
Crowley's Ridge closed the half with key baskets and free throws in the final seconds to take a 49-44 lead into the break. Barrow led Mission at halftime after knocking down four three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes.
In the second half, Mission chipped away at the deficit. A pair of free throws from Cato cut the margin to one at 51-50, and a Najee Williams dunk at the 16:46 mark kept the Patriots within striking distance.
Barrow continued his strong shooting, tying the game at 55-55 with a three-pointer at 15:01. Later, his triple at the 10:14 mark gave Mission a 65-63 lead. Jordyn Turner followed with a three at 8:49 to put the Patriots ahead 68-65, and another Barrow three extended the advantage to 71-67 with just over eight minutes to play.
Crowley's Ridge responded with a scoring run midway through the half to regain the lead. Mission stayed within two possessions down the stretch, highlighted by another Williams dunk and a late three-pointer from Turner with 1:03 remaining to trim the deficit to five.
Turner connected again from beyond the arc with seven seconds left, pulling the Patriots within four, but Mission was unable to complete the comeback in the final moments.
Stat Leaders (Mission)
Clifford Barrow – 30 points (10-21 FG, 8-15 3PT)
Jamarian Cato – 13 points
Najee Williams – 11 points, 8 assists
Justin Gill – 11 points, 8 rebounds
Jordyn Turner – 9 points (3-6 3PT)
Mission shot 46.2 percent (30-65) from the field and 42.9 percent (15-35) from three-point range.
Series Notes
Crowley's Ridge claimed both meetings in the regular season series.
Mission concludes the regular season at 10-18 overall and 5-9 in conference play.
Next Up
Mission now turns its focus to the AMC Tournament, which begins Thursday, Feb. 26. Tournament seeding and opponent information will be announced by the conference.
