HANNIBAL, Mo. – Officially at the halfway point in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) schedule, the Missouri Baptist University women's basketball landed a key win on the road at Hannibal-LaGrange University Saturday. The Spartans took care of business down the stretch defeating HLGU, 71-61, while also preserving a two-game lead over Harris-Stowe for the eighth-place position in the AMC standings.
 
At times this season, the youth of the Missouri Baptist women's basketball team has resulted in not-so favorable outcomes due to inexperience. On the other hand, there have been times like Saturday when the young but talented squad puts on a display that signals big things to come.
 
In MBU's 71-61 win over the Trojans, the freshman foursome of Taylor Norris, Kaylynn Hayden, Lauren Ebert and Alexis Allstun accounted for 63 of the team's 71 points (88.7%). With leading scorer Tionne Taylor out of the lineup on Saturday, MBU needed someone to step into that role and freshman Taylor Norris did so with authority. The 5-3 guard from Salem, Mo. torched the Trojan defense for 29 points, the most by an MBU player since recent Spartan Hall of Fame inductee Andrea Seabaugh scored 30 in 2011-12 vs. Haskell (Kan.).
 
Norris crushed several of her previous season highs including field goals made (11), field goals attempted (25), 3-point field goals made (6) and points (29). In addition to 4 rebounds, she also led the team in assists (4) and steals (4).
 
Despite a slow start to the game, the Spartans were unfazed. After scoring just 5 points in the first eight minutes and falling behind 12-5, MBU proceeded to go on a 19-0 run while holding the home team scoreless for a six-minute stretch. Despite several attempts by the Trojans to return the favor, Missouri Baptist maintained the lead and got a nice boost going into halftime thanks to a Lauren Ebert 3-pointer with very little time remaining. The Spartans led 33-25 heading into the locker room.
 
In the third quarter, Hannibal-LaGrange proved to be quite resilient. When the tide appeared to be turning in MBU's direction with a double-digit lead on the cusp, the Trojans battled back and closed the gap within one possession on two different occasions. MoBap led by just two with one period remaining.
 
HLGU scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to grab the lead for the first time since the end of the first quarter. Back-to-back buckets by MBU forward Kaylynn Hayden helped the Trojans' momentum come to a screeching halt. In fact, Hayden's basket at the 6:44 mark began what turned into a 16-0 run and a 5 and ½ minute drought for the Trojans.
 
Hannibal didn't go down without a fight. Down by 14, the Trojans knocked down three triples in the last two minutes to get within six. But, another freshman took the game into her own hands. Lauren Ebert was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and defensively was credit with a block, defensive rebound and a steal in HLGU's final two offensive possessions.
 
Ebert finished the game with a season-high 12 points and was perfect from the floor (3-for-3), 3-point range (2-for-2) and free-throw line (4-for-4). The freshman guard out of Francis Howell Central HS also added 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists to her stat line.
 
Joining Taylor Norris and Ebert in double-digit scoring was Kaylynn Hayden, who finished with 18 points and a season-high 7 rebounds. Over the past five games, Hayden has averaged 12.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 53.4% from the field.
 
The Spartans return to St. Louis for a two-game homestand with Central Baptist College and No. 10-ranked Lyon College this week. Thursday evening's game vs. Central Baptist will serve as the annual
Coaches vs. Cancer game, a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
 
This year's Coaches vs. Cancer game will hold much greater significance for the Spartans. In October, sophomore guard Nicole Griesenauer lost her mother, Christy, after a courageous four-year battle with breast cancer. The women's basketball team will be dedicating Thursday's game to the Griesenauer family and will be donating all proceeds from pink "Go. Fight. Win." t-shirt sales to a GoFundMe in order to help the family through these difficult times.
 
To donate, please visit the following link: http://bit.ly/2G1PeVg.