OLATHE, Kan. – Missouri Baptist University men's basketball dropped its final game of the MidAmerica Nazarene Tournament, falling to the Pioneers, 87-80, to drop to 0-4 on the season.
Evan Palmquist and Connor Redrow both reached double figures for the Spartans. Palmquist led the way with 23 points, adding three rebounds, three assists, one block, and two steals. Redrow contributed 17 points along with 11 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks.
Palmquist was 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, while Redrow shot an efficient 3-for-4 from three-point range.
Despite shooting 44.1 percent from the field, MBU couldn't keep up as MNU shot 50.8 percent. The Spartans committed fewer turnovers, seven compared to the Pioneers' 10, and at one point led by eight with just over seven minutes left in the game.
MBU was outrebounded 39-34, and MNU took advantage of second-chance opportunities, outscoring the Spartans 12-6 in that category.
The teams were tied at 42 at halftime, but the Pioneers outscored MBU 45-38 in the second half to secure the seven-point win.
Despite the loss, head coach Taylor Jarvis praised his team's growth against tough competition. "We are getting to the level I know this team can play at. MNU is one of the best-coached teams in the NAIA. They are always prepared, and it's always tough to play at their place," Jarvis said. "Our guys fought tonight but just couldn't close the game out. A few missed shots down the stretch, missed stops, and some mistakes cost us this game. But we are going to be a tough, hardened team down the stretch. We have been tested and just continue to get better."
Jarvis added that the team's challenging schedule has tested both him and his players. "These first four games have been against really good teams and challenged me as a coach as well as the team. All I can ask is for my guys to improve on the mistakes they are making. Right now, the guys are focused and improving, so I know we are only going to get better," he said. "This is a winning team. We will get to the level I know this team can be at. The wins will start to come for this group."
Missouri Baptist returns to action Wednesday with a matchup against Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo., at 7 p.m., looking for its first win of the season.
