ST. LOUIS – [BOX SCORE] It was the best possible outcome for Missouri Baptist Women's Basketball on Tuesday. The Spartans led for most of the game against the Hannibal-LaGrange Trojans and successfully defended home court in a dominant 77-59 decision in St. Louis.

In the team's first game of the 2017 calendar, the Spartans erased recent memories of opportunities lost just prior to the New Year and wrote a new script to begin play in January.

Missouri Baptist (4-8, 3-5 AMC) trailed by as many as five in the early going, but after the cold streak, the Spartans began to heat up. Hannibal-LaGrange took a 5-0 lead in the opening moments of Tuesday's contest, but the home team soon got back in the driver's seat.

The Spartans rattled-off a 13-0 run, led by Shay Robinson and Amanda Scott, and the team never looked back.

Robinson, whom has posted seven-consecutive double-digit games for Missouri Baptist, did it in style on Tuesday. The junior recorded just one shy of a career-high in a 17-point performance and knocked-down three triples in the game.

Scott was also red-hot for the Spartans. The red shirt junior posted 14 points as Missouri Baptist outscored the Trojans 36-22 in the paint on the evening.

As a team, the Spartans put up some of their most impressive numbers on the season. As a team, Missouri Baptist recorded 31 points in the first quarter, their largest total of any quarter this season.

Missouri Baptist shot just over 40 percent on the night and forced an impressive 18 turnovers in the game.

Hannibal-LaGrange was led by Emma Penn in another impressive performance on Tuesday. The senior forward had her best game of the season with a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double.

The Spartans will prepare for game two of their five-game home stand on Thursday, January 5 in a rare mid-week matinee. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports and Recreation Complex.