SPRINGFIELD–Thursday night, a short-handed Lady Bears basketball team overcame a 14-point deficitat home to upset the Valley’s top team – Northern Iowa – using only seven players. Two days later, Beth Cunningham’s crew got the pleasure of proving it wasn’t a fluke by hosting the second best squad in the league…
Say hello to the Drake Bulldogs, who boast an 8-1 record in the MVC this season, however, they haven’t beaten the Bears in the last eight meetings. Advantage…Maroon and white.
A big reason for MSU’S recent success is Jade Masagayo, the freshman scored in double figures for the fourth straight game as her jumper put the Lady Bears up five in the first.
Bulldogs entered the game averaging 81 points per contest because they make eight threes a game, Grace Berg knocks down one here to cut Drake’s deficit to 27-24 in the second.
Taylor Woodhouse is one of the seven players who beat UNI Thursday night and after burying her second three in a row she doubled her point total from that game. Mo-state led 39-31 at the break.
Third quarter, these two teams combined for a measely 15 points, that’s right, just 15. But Bulldog’s leading scorer Maggie Bair closes the gap to 45-40 with the transition layup.
But in the 4th, experience makes an appearance in the form of Aniya Thomas. Her corner three gave her a team-high 15 points, giving MSU a 13 point cushion, largest of the game.
Lady bears only used seven players for the second game in a row, Thomas and Sydney Wilson played all 40 minutes of this one, they’re combined 24 points helps Missouri State go wire-to-wire defeating Drake for a ninth consecutive time to win their 3rd game in a row.
