ST. LOUIS- The Spartans kicked off a six-game road stint tonight against Harris-Stow State University. While initially, the game wasn't going MBU's way they eventually pulled it together to secure the victory, 83-71.
 
The Spartans started off on the wrong foot at the beginning of the game. After securing the tip off, MBU ultimately turned the ball over on the very first play of the game. They quickly found themselves down four points, but the Spartans are a persistent bunch and wouldn't stay down for long.
 
Keyyaun Batchman was playing tight to his man, causing a turnover at the 17:45 mark. With this opportunity, the Spartans needed to make something of it down on their end. And make something of it they did. Batchman who received the ball at the top of the key from Nico Hill, drove in and around his man to sink the jump shot.
 
While Missouri Baptist continued to put up the points, so did HSSU. It wouldn't be until the 13-minute mark that the Spartans would find themselves on top. Sterling Benjamin closed the gap for the Spartans with a three-pointer bringing it to a one-point ball game. The Spartans secured the ball again and were forced to deal with the Hornets' full court press. This was easily handled by the likes of Preston Fortner, Kristian Davis, and Sterling Benjamin all working together to bring it up the court. Now on the Spartans end, Fortner dribbled through a trap attempt by the Hornets and passed it to a wide-open Nico Hill. Hill proceeded to step up and drain a three, putting MBU on top.
 
The rest of the half would be a back-and-forth battle between the two team with neither able to gain the upper hand. Coming out in the second half, the Spartans were dialed in and ready to play. Hill kicked things off by sinking a three-pointer down in the corner, tying up the ball game. Wiltz kept things going on the Spartans' next possession. Driving in, the junior pulled a pump fake that sent his defender flying by. With no one to contest his shot, Wiltz made the basket to put the Spartans ahead by two. Keeping the momentum going, Keyyaun Batchman drove into the paint where he dumped the ball to Connor Redrow. With his imposing 6'11 height, Redrow would slam down a dunk leaving his defenders helpless.
 
For a while it looked like the second half was going to mirror the first, with the lead exchanging hands a number of times. 11 minutes in, the Spartans started to pull away with the lead, owning the game for the rest of the half. Hill secured the lead for the Spartans after sinking a three pointer. Not long after the Spartans would go on a twelve-point run, solidifying their lead. The last ten minutes of the game the Spartans would outshoot the Hornets 20-11.
 
MBU closed out the game on top with a score of 83-71. A number of Spartans put up double-digit points in the game against HSSU. Nico Hill led the team with 16 points followed by Breven McMullen with 15. A step behind was Keyyaun Batchman with 14 points and Sterling Benjamin with 12.
The Spartans will take on Williams Baptist for their next AMC matchup on Thursday, January 25 at 7:30 PM.