SAINT LOUIS – Missouri Baptist had to find a way on Thursday. After trailing 37-30 at halftime, the Spartans roared back in the second half to grab a 69-62 win over the Park Pirates at home.
Missouri Baptist (7-8, 5-6 AMC) changed it up a bit on Thursday as
Amanda Rowden got the start in place of Shay Robinson. A move which would prove to be a big one down the stretch. The Spartans led by just two midway through the opening quarter before the home team took off.
The Spartans held the Pirates to just six points in the final five minutes of the first to grab a 21-16 lead heading into the second quarter. It was the second 10 minutes, however, that the momentum shifted in favor of Park.
The Pirates began the second quarter with a 18-2 run aided by 14 Spartan turnovers, and changed the dynamic of the game heading into halftime.
Missouri Baptist went into the break with 17 turnovers shooting 39 percent from the floor. Whatever Coach
Iris Dixon said at halftime, however, did the trick.
Down 37-30 heading into the third quarter, Missouri Baptist quickly erased its deficit. It took just 4:28 of game time to tie the game as Robinson rose to the top of the box score for the Spartans. The senior guard netted 10 points in the third and finished with 21 points to lead all scorers.
After some issues in the final quarter of play recently, Missouri Baptist erased all memory of those disappointing finishes with a clutch finish in the final 10 minutes.
The Spartans forced nine Pirate turnovers in the fourth quarter and outscored the team from Parkville 14-9 to finish with a big 69-62 win.
Briya Wilborn tied a career-high with six steals, bringing her season total to 61 on the season, tying her for first in the nation in that category.
Chanel Brown finished with 16 points in the contest and rounded-out the Spartans in double digits.
The Pirates were led by Jenae Rowe, who finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. Deja Johnson-Ford and Cautia Wadood combined for 27 points in the game as well.
The Spartans finally broke one of its most disappointing streaks of the season on Thursday. Missouri Baptist entered the game 0-7 when trailing at halftime. Also, as fate would have it, the game ended in the exact same final score as it did back on Nov. 16, 2017 when Missouri Baptist posted a 69-62 win at the Breckon Sports Complex.
With the win, the Spartans evened their record at 8-8 and 6-6 in the American Midwest Conference with an important road game against St. Louis College of Pharmacy coming-up on Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
