Fort Smith, Ark. – The Missouri Southern Women's Basketball team traveled to Fort Smith, Ark., to compete on the final day of the Hampton Inn Classic against the Texas A&M International Dust Devils. In a tightly contested matchup, the Lions held off a late surge to secure a 57-54 victory, highlighted by key performances from
Ryan Franklin,
Veonce Powell, and
Kaitlin Hunnicutt, who surpassed 1,000 career points.
Missouri Southern (4-3) vs. Texas A&M International (0-5)
Quarter 1: Missouri Southern 21| Texas A&M International 11
The Lions started strong, racing to a commanding 13-2 lead behind contributions from
Ryan Franklin,
Veonce Powell,
Reese Webb, and
Kennady Roach. Defensively, the Lions held the Dust Devils to just two points until the four-minute mark, when they responded with back-to-back baskets to narrow the gap to 13-6. Powell quickly ended their momentum by sinking a smooth jumper, and
Kaitlin Hunnicutt closed the first quarter with two clutch free throws, extending the Lions lead to 21-11
Quarter 2: Missouri Southern 32 | Texas A&M International 35
Veonce Powell drained a sharp bucket, pushing Southern's lead to 14 points at 25-11 to start the second quarter. The Dust Devils responded with a quick seven-point surge, but
Ryan Franklin halted their momentum with a decisive layup, followed by
Kaitlin Hunnicutt sinking a three-pointer to keep Southern in control. Texas A&M International capped the second quarter with a layup, but Missouri Southern maintained their advantage, heading into halftime with a 32-25 lead.
Quarter 3: Missouri Southern 43 | Texas A&M International 37
The Dust Devils opened the second half with two made free throws, but
Veonce Powell quickly responded with back-to-back baskets, igniting a scoring surge for the Lions. Contributions from
Mackenzie Hart at the free-throw line and a layup by
Kaitlin Hunnicutt extended Southern's lead to 11 points. However, Texas A&M International rallied with a nine-point run to close the third quarter, trimming their deficit to just five points at 43-37.
Quarter 4: Missouri Southern 57 | Texas A&M International 54
Texas A&M International kicked off the fourth quarter with a three-pointer, narrowing the gap to just three points at 43-40. The two teams went back and forth in a hard-fought exchange of baskets. In the final two minutes, the Dust Devils tied the game at 51-51, but
Ryan Franklin responded with a clutch jumper to reclaim the lead for the Lions. Franklin later added key free throws, and Missouri Southern held firm down the stretch to secure a 57-54 victory.
Missouri Southern Leaders:
Points: Ryan Franklin – 18
Rebounds: Ryan Franklin – 11
Assists: Mackenzie Hart - 5
Steals: Reese Webb - 2
Blocks: Makenna Yokley – 1
Texas A&M International Leaders:
Points: Josie Igherighe - 26
Rebounds: Alyssia Thorne / Aaliyah McMillan – 5
Assists: Josie Igherighe / Angelique Morgan – 2
Steals: Three Players – 2
Blocks: Josie Igherighe / Alyssia Thorne – 1
Up Next:
The Lions will be back on their home court on Wednesday, November 20, when they host the Drury University Panthers. Tip-off is set for 6:00 pm.
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