ST. LOUIS – [Box Score] For the second straight day, the Missouri Baptist women's basketball team ended the game on the winning side of the scoreboard, as they defeated Ottawa, 56-49. The Spartans outscored OU 25-18 in the second half after the score was tied 31-31 at the half. The victory moved MBU to 2-3 on the season, as they won two games in a span of 16 hours.
"It was a battle all 40 minutes and we persevered again today," said head coach Iris Dixon.
Missouri Baptist shot 45 percent from the field, making 23-of-51 shots. The Spartans pulled down 41 rebounds, outdueling Ottawa by 11 rebounds.
Three different Spartans scored in double figures, led by Taylor Klingelhoefer, who scored 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field. She made both of the team's 3-point shots and also made 4-of-5 free throw shots. Angela Talley finished the game with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field. Jasmine Jackson was the other Spartan with double figures, scoring 14 points on 7-of-11 from the field. She also pulled down six rebounds. Kennedy Smith led MBU with 13 rebounds.
"Taylor stepped up big for us," said Dixon. "She fulfilled the role for an injured Kristyne Smyth and led us to a victory."
The Spartans were looking to win its second straight game after defeating Saint Mary, 102-88 in double overtime, the night before. Ottawa knocked off 13th ranked Columbia in tightly contested ball game last night, 54-53.
Ottawa used three 3-pointers to jump out to a 16-10 lead with 13:53 left in the first half, but Taylor Klingelhoefer made two free throws and Jasmine Jackson scored back-to-back buckets to tie the game up 16-16 with 12:19 left in the half.
After OU took an 18-16 lead with 11:50 left in the half, neither team could score a bucket for the next two minutes, until Jasmine Jackson netted her sixth point of the game and tied the game up 18-18 with 9:59 left.
The MBU defense held Ottawa scoreless for nearly five minutes, which allowed the Spartans to hold a 22-20 lead with 6:46 left in the half.
A shot clock violation by Missouri Baptist with just a minute left in the half and the score tied 28-28 allowed Ottawa to take a go-ahead 3-pointer with just 30 seconds left in the half.
Taylor Klingelhoefer drained the game-tying three with just seven second left in the half, knotting the score at 31-31. It was the first made shot from beyond the arc in the half for MBU.
As the two teams headed into the locker rooms, Klingelhoefer led all scorers with 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-for-4 in free throw shots. Angela Talley was perfect from the field on 4-of-4 shooting for eight points. Jasmine Jackson added eight points in the half on 4-of-8 shooting from the field.
The Spartans made the most of its free throws, making 6-of-7 as a team, compared to Ottawa's 3-of-7 from the line. MBU also outshot OU in field goals, making 12-of-24 field goal shots, compared to Ottawa's 12-of-28.
In the second half, Jasmine Jackson gave MBU a 33-31 lead on the first possession of the half, but Ottawa would follow with an 8-0 run over the next 4:14, giving OU a 39-33 lead with 15:46 left in the game.
A big 3-pointer from Taylor Klingelhoefer cut the deficit to just one point, 39-38 at the 15 minute mark, which sparked a 7-0 run over a three minute span.
The two teams would then engage in a see-saw battle all the way until the final 8:32. Ottawa's Mikayla made 1-of-2 free throws to give the Braves a 49-46 lead, but the momentum changed from that point forward.
Missouri Baptist went on a furious run to end the game, outscoring Ottawa 10-0 over the final 8:32.
Talley, Smith and Jackson each had six points for MBU in the second half, as the Spartans made 11-of-27 shots in the second half. The Spartan defense limited the Lady Braves to just seven field goals, as they shot just 26 percent from the field in the half.
Missouri Baptist will take on NCAA Division II Lincoln University on November 29 in the UMSL-Hilton Thanksgiving Classic.
