Box Score
Bolivar, Mo. – SBU played host to the Lindenwood Lions Thursday evening. The SBU women defeated the Lindenwood women, 87-73, improving SBU's record to 5-11 (1-6 MIAA) and claiming their first conference win of the season.
 
The Bearcats scored the first bucket of the game, a Laura Vierkant layup. The Lions answered quickly, making a three to take their first lead of the game. SBU found themselves down 7-2 with 7 minutes left in the first, but layups by RayShee Smith and Laura Vierkant brought them back within one. With just over 4 minutes remaining, the Bearcats evened the score at 10 thanks to one of Bailey Rezabek's 9 field goals on the night. Lindenwood completed a three point play, regaining the lead 13-10, but Morgan Henderson quickly made a layup to create a 13-12 score at the end of the first.
 
Bailey Rezabek and Laura Vierkant scored on back to back SBU possessions, giving them a three point lead. After Lindenwood tied the game at 16, Rezabek scored 5 straight points. With 4:07 to go in the half, SBU took their biggest lead of the half at 30-19 thanks to a Laura Vierkant three. Vierkant scored the last bucket of the half, making a layup with 6 seconds on the clock, giving SBU a 38-30 lead going into halftime.
 
The Lions quickly cut SBU's lead down to 3, but a layup and back to back three pointers stretched the Bearcat lead back to eleven. A little over three minutes into the second half, SBU took a 12 point lead on a Caylee Richardson layup. The visitors began to erase that lead, but Richardson and Vierkant scored a layup and three pointer respectively to maintain a comfortable lead. The last bucket of the third quarter was a Morgan Henderson three point shot, keeping SBU's lead at 9, 61-52.
 
Two free throws and a layup by the Lions cut SBU's lead down to 5 early in the fourth. Lindenwood kept chipping away, taking a 64-63 lead with 5:55 remaining in the game. The teams swapped leads, then evened the score at 70 a piece. Bailey Rezabek scored the next four points, giving SBU the lead, which would end up being for the rest of the game. Madison Strong and Morgan Henderson both contributed layups, then Strong made 4 free throws, pushing SBU's lead to 9 with 57 seconds to go. Free throws were the remainder of the game as the Bearcats extended their lead to 14 before the clock read 00:00, creating an 87-73 final score.
 
Bailey Rezabek led SBU in scoring, going 9-14 from the field, good for 23 points and collecting 7 rebounds. Caylee Richardson had a double-double, scoring 19 points and 13 rebounds. Laura Vierkant also scored 19 points and grabbed 6 assists as well. Morgan Henderson was the other Bearcat in double digit points with 10.
 
The Bearcats host the Lincoln Blue Tigers on Saturday, January 19 at 1:30 PM.