ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] Missouri Baptist shot nearly 48 percent from the floor on Saturday, but was unable completely overcome a nine-point Columbia College lead in a 69-68 loss in Columbia, Mo.
Missouri Baptist (3-10, 3-6) trailed by just five at the half and as many as nine in the game, but put on one of the most exciting comeback bids of the season against the long-time rival, Columbia College.
The Cougars shot the lights out in the first half and combined for just over 51 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, but failed to shut the door on a Spartan team that was eager to pull the upset. Missouri Baptist shot just under 46 percent in the opening half, but went 13-14 (92.9 percent) from the free throw line to stay in the game. MBU finished the contest 20-25 from the charity stripe.
The bulk of the excitement came in the final 6:33 as Columbia's Kayla Washington converted on the three-point play after a foul called on MBU's Morgan Settle. It was the same Spartan forward, however, that came up big for Missouri Baptist all night as she finished with 16 points and three blocks. Settle currently leads the AMC (American Midwest Conference) with an average of 1.67 blocks per game heading into Saturday's action, which is good enough for No. 12 in the NAIA in that category.
Taylor Klingelhoefer provided some of the most thrilling moments in the final minutes as the Spartans inched closer to evening the score. The guard hit three-three pointers in the final six-plus minutes to get MBU within striking distance.
Down 69-61 with just 3:09 remaining, Missouri Baptist picked apart the Cougars. MBU went on a 6-0 run with Settle at the free-throw line and 1:19 left. Settle hit the front-end of her attempts but missed the back and pulled the Spartans to within one in the process.
Columbia went to the line, up by one with 14 seconds remaining, and as Tierney Seifert missed the first shot in the bonus, MBU was left with the ball and the chance to win it.
The ball came to Trina Valencia, the former Mid-Continent University Cougar, with a last second shot to win the game, but it was not to be as Columbia escaped with the victory.
In addition to Settle, Missouri Baptist's Klingelhoefer (14 points), Jerica Hawkins (14 points, six rebounds) and Aimee Iverson (10 points, six rebounds), all finished in double digits. As a team, the Spartans also shot an incredible 67 percent from behind the arc.
The Cougars were led by Corri Hamilton, who came just one rebound short of a double-double, with 16 points and nine rebounds. Ashley Fisher (14 points) and Kayla Washington (11 points) also finished in double figures.
Missouri Baptist will now have an additional day to prepare as Stephens College will travel to the friendly confines of the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports and Recreation Complex on Thursday, Jan. 15. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
