Box Score

Bolivar, Mo. - The Southwest Baptist University women's basketball team played a tight game against #12 Central Missouri on Saturday afternoon, but ultimately fell 78-70 in the contest. With the loss, SBU falls to 10-14 (5-12 MIAA) on the season.

The Bearcats and Jennies played a tight first half, with 14 lead changes occuring between the two squads. After SBU went down 4 points early on (6-2), neither team led by more than 3 points until the 5:36 mark in the first half. The Jennies started to build a small lead, as SBU would go into the halftime down 45-38.

In the second half the Bearcats came out quickly, scoring the first seven points of the half to draw even at 45-45 (17:40). However, UCM would increase their lead back up to 8 (54-46), but SBU would continue to battle back. The Bearcats cut the Jennies lead down to two on multiple occasions, but could never get over the hump. In the end, Central Missouri used a couple of small surges as SBU would eventually fall 78-70.

Jacqui Zelenka played an excellent game for SBU, scoring 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting from the field to go along with 6 rebounds. Dilonna Johnson and Brook Duncan were both in double-figures in the scoring column with 11 and 10 points respectively, while Morgan Lucy pulled down 12 boards to go along with 8 points. As a team, SBU shot 42.1% from the field, 20.0% from beyond the arc, and 70.4% from the free throw line.

The Bearcats will hit the road for their final road contest of the season when they travel to Northwest Missouri. Tip-off against the Bearcats is set for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Februray 26 from Maryville, Missouri.