Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern Women's Basketball team hosted the Lions of the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith on Saturday, January 4. An offensive burst from Missouri Southern in the fourth quarter paved the way for a win, 91-79.
Missouri Southern (11-5, 3-1 MIAA) vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (8-5, 2-2 MIAA)
Quarter 1: Missouri Southern 25 | Arkansas-Fort Smith 16
Veonce Powell opened the game with five of Missouri Southern's 10 points in the first three minutes of play, which gave them a 10-2 lead. Missouri Southern extended their lead by adding another 10 points, with
Kaitlin Hunnicutt contributing six points. With 3:54 left in the first quarter, Missouri Southern held a 20-9 advantage over Arkansas-Fort Smith. Both teams traded baskets through the final minutes, which ended the quarter in a 25-16 lead for Missouri Southern.
Quarter 2: Missouri Southern 37 | Arkansas-Fort Smith 36
Arkansas-Fort Smith tied the game at 30-30 in the first four minutes of the second quarter with a 14-5 run.
Morgan Meyers ended the run with a three-pointer, but Arkansas-Fort Smith continued to return with a basket of their own as the final seven minutes ended in a one-point, 37-36, lead for Missouri Southern at halftime.
Quarter 3: Missouri Southern 65 | Arkansas-Fort Smith 63
The Lions defense stepped up to open the third quarter, only allowing six points in the first five minutes. Missouri Southern built a four-point lead, 46-42, with a jumper and layup from
Kaitlin Hunnicutt with 5:32 remaining. After Arkansas-Fort Smith regained the lead with an 8-6 run, Missouri Southern put together an 8-0 run (
Veonce Powell: three-pointer and free throw,
Mackenzie Hart: three-pointer,
Grace Frazier: free throw) to take a 56-50 lead with 2:26 remaining in the third quarter. Arkansas-Fort Smith answered with a 13-9 run to close the quarter and narrowed their deficit to 65-63.
Quarter 4: Missouri Southern 91 | Arkansas-Fort Smith 79
After a 4-0 start from Arkansas-Fort Smith, Missouri Southern took control of the game on both ends of the floor with a 16-4 run (
Kaitlin Hunnicutt: five points,
Mackenzie Hart: five points,
Makenna Yokley: three points,
Kennady Roach: three points) over the first five minutes of the final quarter to give Missouri Southern an 81-71 lead. Despite Arkansas-Fort Smith returning with five unanswered points, Missouri Southern would put the game out of reach with a 10-2 run to close the game with a 91-79 victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith.
Missouri Southern Leaders:
Points: Veonce Powell - 20
Rebounds: Ryan Franklin - 9
Assists: Mackenzie Hart,
Kaitlin Hunnicutt - 4
Steals: Mackenzie Hart - 3
Blocks: Ryan Franklin - 3
Arkansas-Fort Smith Leaders:
Points: Morgan Browning - 20
Rebounds: Telisha Brown - 6
Assists: Morgan Browning - 6
Steals: Anna Trusty, Olivia Johnson, Daijah Smith - 1
Blocks: Layne Kirkendoll - 5
Up Next:
Missouri Southern Women's Basketball will begin a two-game road trip against Pittsburg State University on Tuesday, January 7, in Pittsburg, Kan. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM in John Lance Arena.
-Lions-
