SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — February 21, 2026 — Mission closed out the regular season in dominant fashion Saturday afternoon, pulling away early and cruising to a 92-52 conference victory over Crowley's Ridge at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse on Senior Day.
Pregame
Mission entered the home conference matchup at 12-15 overall and 8-9 in conference play following a 76-63 road win at Cottey.
Crowley's Ridge came in 0-26 overall and 0-17 in conference play after a 61-50 loss at Hannibal-LaGrange.
The teams had met once earlier this season, with Mission earning a 92-56 win.
Saturday also marked Senior Day for the Lady Patriots, as Whitney Coffelt was recognized as the program's lone senior prior to tipoff.
Game Summary
Crowley's Ridge struck first with a layup just seconds into the game, but Mission responded immediately. Whitney Coffelt scored on a layup at the 9:46 mark of the first quarter to tie the game before Naomi Daugherty converted inside to give Mission the lead for good.
From there, the Lady Patriots built separation quickly. Ireland Jones connected on her first three-pointer at 7:11 in the opening quarter, sparking a long-range barrage. Tara Masten and Jones added back-to-back threes midway through the period, and Jones capped the quarter with another three in the final seconds to give Mission a 28-8 lead after one.
Mission continued to extend the margin in the second quarter. Kayla Howell opened the period with a three-pointer, and Jayla Kirksey scored inside off assists from Tara Masten and later converted a three-point play. Miya Nieto added a three of her own, and Jones followed with a steal and layup as Mission pushed the lead past 30. The Lady Patriots outscored Crowley's Ridge 25-11 in the quarter to take a 53-19 advantage into halftime.
The third quarter followed a similar script. Nieto opened the scoring with a three-pointer off a Jones assist. Masten and Jones each knocked down additional threes, and Jones added another from beyond the arc at the 6:25 mark. Kirksey scored on consecutive possessions inside midway through the period, helping Mission stretch the lead to 77-30 heading into the fourth.
With a comfortable cushion, Mission rotated heavily in the final quarter. Lauren Carson scored on multiple put-backs and layups, Jaema Schimmels knocked down a three-pointer, and Autumn Gunter added two late layups. Carson scored the final Mission basket with 10 seconds remaining, sealing the 92-52 victory.
Mission shot 50 percent from the field (38-76) and 39.4 percent from three-point range (13-33), while forcing 21 turnovers and finishing with 24 assists on 38 made field goals.
Stat Leaders
Ireland Jones — 23 points, 7-12 3PT, 5 steals
Jayla Kirksey — 16 points, 5 rebounds
Tara Masten — 11 points, 4 assists
Miya Nieto — 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists
Lauren Carson — 8 points, 5 rebounds
Postgame
The win moves Mission to 13-15 overall and 9-9 in conference play to close the regular season. The Lady Patriots secured a season sweep of Crowley's Ridge and enter postseason play with back-to-back conference victories.
Next Up
Mission will turn its focus to the AMC Tournament, which begins Thursday, February 26. Tournament pairings and game times will be announced following the conclusion of regular-season play.
