COLUMBIA, Mo. – Riding a four-game winning streak into Thursday's big matchup on the road at Columbia College, the Missouri Baptist women's basketball team came up just short in a 69-64 loss to the 15^th-ranked Cougars.
 
Columbia escaped the Spartans with its smallest margin of victory (+5) since 2014-15. To put it into perspective, there have only been six games out of 32 meetings that have been decided by 10 points or fewer. Since 2005, Columbia has dominated the series, 31-1.
 
The narrow loss drops MBU to 10-13 overall and 10-9 in American Midwest Conference play. Despite Thursday's outcome though, Missouri Baptist received welcome news as the Spartans joined Central Baptist and Lindenwood-Belleville as the final three teams to secure spots in the eight-team, AMC postseason tournament. MBU and CBC are currently in a deadlock for seventh place, while 1 and ½ games back from LU-Belleville and 2 and ½ games back from the No. 5 spot.
 
Outside of a brief 11-point lead held by Columbia in the opening period, the game was tightly contested throughout. At halftime, just three points separated the Spartans and Cougars. CC led 36-33.
 
MoBap grabbed a brief lead on two separate occasions in the third quarter. Unfortunately, Columbia had a quick rebuttal both times and kept the Spartans from gaining too much momentum. The fourth quarter had a similar tune with MBU pulling ahead on a pair of Megan Fassino free throws and again on a Fassino basket with 8:10 remaining. That would be the last time the Spartans had a lead.
 
Columbia did just enough at the free-throw line (11-for-16) in the fourth quarter to offset their 4-for-14 clip from the field and fend off the Spartans.
 
As a team, MBU made 46.3% of its shots compared to Columbia, who shot just 37.1% from the field and 7-of-27 (.259) from 3-point range. The two teams were even on the glass with both pulling down 36 rebounds apiece.
 
Freshman center Alexis Allstun was at it once again with her third consecutive double-double.  Thursday's performance against a Top-15 opponent may have been Allstun's best all-around performance to date. The freshman from Jackson, Mo. finished with 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting (.750), 13 rebounds (6 O, 7 D), 3 steals, 2 blocks, 2 assists and no turnovers.
 
Guards Taylor Norris and Tionne Taylor also scored in double figures with 17 and 14, respectively. Unlike other contests, the Spartans didn't receive as much help offensively from the bench as Megan Fassino and Kimberley Shaw combining for all 11 of MBU's points off the bench.
 
Missouri Baptist visits (RV) William Woods University on Saturday at 1 p.m.