CANTON, Mo. – Fresh off a season opening win against College of the Ozarks, Missouri Baptist women's basketball made its first road trip of the season over the weekend for a pair of games. MBU left the Atrium Hotel On Third Classic was successful in claiming victory in one of the two, falling to hosts Culver-Stockton College (CSC) 68-54 on Friday before a bounce back win against Viterbo University (VU) 61-51 on Saturday.
 
MoBap (2-1) would struggle for offense much of the night against Culver-Stockton (1-0). MBU took nine more shots on the night overall, but the gap of efficiency in the Wildcats' 42.9 percent from the field versus the Spartans' 33.8 percent told the story in a game to forget on the offensive side.
 
The second game at Charles Field House looked like a dogfight much of the way, but thanks to a late surge on offense was one that MBU walked out of with a hard-earned win. Viterbo (1-2) had chances to put MoBap on the back foot late, but timely buckets and a near masterclass at the free throw line late helped the Spartans double their win total.
 
Culver-Stockton College def. Missouri Baptist, 68-54
The Spartans started off hot to open the game against the Wildcats, scoring 8 of the first 10 points. Guard Bryce Dowell scored six of her game high 16 points in a row to give MBU an 8-2 edge two minutes in. The Wildcats would slowly claw their way back the rest of the first quarter and gained the lead before the period switch, 21-19.
 
Both sides would struggle for offense in the second quarter. MBU hit only three shots to CSC's five. The Wildcats would go into the break ahead by eight, 34-26.
 
The Spartans had to fight just to stay within striking distance following intermission. The home side trio of Makenzie Lathrom, Addison Newbon, and Katie Webb combined for 21 points in the second half and put MoBap in a bind, extending the lead to double digits and to as many as 17 at multiple points. The Spartans would win the fourth quarter 16-15, but it was only a consolation as the Wildcats came out with the 14-point win.
 
Missouri Baptist had fewer turnovers (19 for MBU, 24 for CSC) managed to tie Culver-Stockton in scoring from the lane (28 pts in the paint for each) and off the pine (22 pts off the bench for each), but a disparity in key categories like rebounding, at the free throw line, and beyond the arc were instrumental. CSC boasted a 48-to-38 advantage of outrebounding the Spartans, knocked down 14-of-22 at the charity stripe to MBU's 8-of-18, and hit on 35.3 percent of their 3-point shots to just 11.8 percent being drained on MBU's end.
 
Notable Spartan performances included Dowell (16 points, 4 assists), Deyana Dodd (11 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals, 3 assists), and Jalexis Russell (7 points, 4 rebounds).
 
Missouri Baptist def. Viterbo University, 61-51
MoBap and Viterbo went back and forth for much of the first 20 minutes. Neither team led by more than five until five and half minutes left before halftime. An 8-to-2 V-Hawk run put VU ahead 28-18, as leading scorer Natalia Leguizamon's three 3-pointers galvanized a 16-9 quarter advantage for VU, but five Spartan points before the break cut that lead in half.
 
The V-Hawks looked ready to run away briefly in the third quarter off a three to open the second half, but a concerted and patient effort to come back, capped off by a Kayleigh Winch score with 40 seconds before the final period, gave MBU a 38-36 lead. The Spartans would outscore the V-Hawks by 15 over the final 20 minutes, absorbing the five-point deficit and turning it into a 10-point victory.
 
MoBap dominated buckets in the paint, outscoring Viterbo 28-12 behind senior Alexis Allstun's team-leading 15. Allstun managed 4 rebounds and three steals to boot. Senior Lauren Ebert led the Spartans in boards, coming one shy of a double-double with 9 to go along with a tidy 10 points and three steals. Along with Ebert, Allstun, Joelle Atkins and Kelsie Williams all grabbed three steals each.
 
Other noteworthy box score tallies in MBU's second game from Canton included Williams (6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) and Deyana Dodd (14 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds).
 
The going will not get easier for Missouri Baptist in its next game. The Spartans will wait a week before its next action against No. 9-ranked and 2021-22 NAIA national semifinalist Central Methodist on Saturday, Nov. 12th at 7:00 pm.