ST. LOUIS – Olivet Nazarene played the spoiler role in the home opener for Missouri Baptist University women's basketball as the Tigers defeated the Spartans on Friday evening, 86-77. The Tigers' unique style of play featuring an onslaught of mass substitutions similar to hockey line changes, full court pressure and rapid-fire shooting wreaked just enough havoc to avenge their loss from 2018-19.
 
MBU (0-3) knew what to expect out of Olivet Nazarene (4-1) after coming away with a thrilling 109-108 season-opening victory in Bourbonnais, Ill. and one in which the Spartans played spoiler during the Tigers' Homecoming festivities last year.
 
Despite holding ONU 27 points under their season scoring average, the Spartans were unable to limit their turnovers against the pesky Tigers and came up short in a fourth-quarter comeback bid. On the night, MBU turned the ball over 38 times resulting in 30 points off turnovers for Olivet Nazarene.
 
The entire first half was tightly contested with neither team going up by more than 5 points. At the end of first quarter, it was knotted 16-all and the second quarter appeared to be even heading into the break before back-to-back 3s by ONU's Olivia Schmidt and Karina Smits. The Tigers took a 3-point lead into halftime.
 
Freshman center Alexis Allstun had the most success for the Spartans in the first half with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting along with 4 boards, 1 block and 1 steal. After halftime, the ONU defense did a good job of keeping the ball out of Allstun's hands limiting the Jackson, Mo. native to just 5 points on two shot attempts and three free throws. Allstun ended up leading all scorers for the game with 17.
 
A turning point in the game may have been the Tigers' big run in the third quarter that gave them just enough ammo to outlast the Spartans later in the half. ONU built a 15-point lead outscoring Missouri Baptist 15-3 in a five-minute stretch.
 
The good news for the Spartans was that they had an answer and made it a one-possession ballgame with 51 seconds remaining in the third. Several Spartans came to the rescue off the bench including freshmen Kaylynn Hayden, Kenzie Burt, Kamryn Mack and Megan Fassino along with Taylor Norris who had several highlight-reel moves while evading the ONU defense.
 
Olivet opened the fourth with a couple of 3-pointers to push its lead into double digits. With three minutes remaining, MBU made one last push and got within four, however, the Spartans couldn't crack the code and missed out on win No. 1 for the year.
 
Joining Alexis Allstun in double figure scoring was Tionne Taylor and Taylor Norris, both with 14 points. Tionne Taylor finished 3-for-11 from the field, but a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe. Norris shot 6-of-18 with 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. One other Spartan reached double digits, but in rebounding. Starting forward Kimberley Shaw pulled down 11 caroms on the night.
 
Up next for MBU is an exhibition contest in Bolivar, Missouri at Southwest Baptist University on Tuesday, Nov. 12 @ 5:30 p.m. Following the NCAA D2 exhibition, the Spartans jump right into American Midwest Conference play with an Arkansas road trip to Central Baptist College and No. 20-ranked Lyon College.