ST. LOUIS – Missouri Baptist University picked up an 80–73 home victory over Baker University on Saturday afternoon at the Carl & Deloris Petty SRC, holding off a late push to secure the seven-point win.

Abigail Williams led the Spartans with a game-high 21 points, shooting 8-of-16 from the field and adding four rebounds and a block. Riley Jansen followed closely with 20 points and seven rebounds, while also going 6-for-7 from the free-throw line.

Missouri Baptist jumped out early, shooting efficiently in the opening quarter and building momentum behind balanced scoring. The Spartans maintained control through the first half, taking advantage of second-chance opportunities and strong interior play to keep Baker at bay.

The Wildcats made things interesting in the second half, cutting the deficit with three-point shooting. Baker shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc for the game, cutting the margin to single digits late in the fourth quarter.

Despite the pressure, the Spartans stayed composed throughout the fourth quarter. Missouri Baptist shot over 50 percent from the floor and capitalized at the line when it mattered, sealing the win with consistent execution in the final minutes. Paula Puzule contributed 12 points and nine assists, while Jenna Plymale added 12 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting performance.

Missouri Baptist returns to conference play at home next week against Missouri Valley on Wednesday, February 11. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.