PARKVILLE, Mo. – Despite stealing a win on the road at Park University last year, Breckon Sports Center has always been a tough place to play for the Missouri Baptist University women's basketball team. Saturday was no different for the Spartans as they suffered a 63-54 setback in Parkville.
 
Since 2007, Missouri Baptist has won just twice in 10 games played at Breckon Sports Center. With Saturday's loss, the Spartans dropped to 2-4, 1-1 AMC.
 
MBU had to play from behind from the outset. The Spartans were held scoreless for the first five minutes of the contest while Park got off to an early 10-0 advantage. It wasn't until the 4:58 mark that freshman Nicole Griesenauer found Jordan Wyatt in the paint to break through the scoring drought for the Spartans' first points of the game. By the end of the first stanza, Park led 20-9.  
 
Down by as much as 15, Missouri Baptist began to chip away at the Pirate lead. A cast of Kadesha Cooper, Megan Fassino and Nicole Griesenauer led the way in the Spartans' comeback effort. The trio combined for 17 points in the second quarter and as a team, MBU outscored the Pirates 20-11 to narrow it to one-possession ballgame. At halftime, Park led 31-29.
 
Out of the break, Kadesha Cooper drained a 3-pointer and scored again on the next possession to even the game at 34-34. The Spartans tied the game again at 41-all, however, each time they inched closer to their first lead of the game, Park had an answer. All of that being said, the Spartans were still in the game and trailed by just two at the end of the third quarter.
 
Both teams struggled to score as the final period began and for the second time of the day, Missouri Baptist had a long scoring drought to begin the quarter. It took the Spartans nearly six minutes to pick up their first points of the quarter. During that stretch, the Pirates managed to pad their lead to nine. MBU mounted one last-ditch effort and once again clawed back to a two-point game with a little over two minutes left.
 
Unfortunately, Park's Deja Johnson-Ford hit a clutch three and the Pirates hit enough free throws late in the game to avoid an MBU comeback.
 
The Spartans shot 39.6% from the field and just 27.8% from 3-point range, while out-rebounding the Pirates 32-30.
 
In 20 minutes of play, senior transfer Kadesha Cooper led the team in scoring (18) and accounted for three of the Spartans' five made field goals beyond the arc. The Prattsville, Ark. native shot 7-of-15 overall and 3-of-6 (.500) from downtown.
 
Also joining Cooper in double figures was senior guard Alissa Rowden, who scored 15 and was 6-of-8 from the field, 1-of-2 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. Megan Fassino and Jordan Wyatt both scored seven points each.
 
The Spartans will finally have their chance to play in the familiar confines of Petty Sports and Recreation Complex. Missouri Baptist returns to action after Thanksgiving when it hosts No. 25 Lindenwood University-Belleville on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 5:30 p.m. Please note that Nov. 27 is being marketed as a white out game for both the men's and women's game, so come out in full force with your white MBU apparel!