Baldwin City, Kan.— Spire women's basketball lost their season opener to host Baker University (KS) 91-82 this evening, Friday, October 30, in Baldwin City, Kansas, after the Wildcat's Cole's 3-pointer with 1:37 remaining halted the Spires' late push.
The Spires fell behind 4-0 before
Morgan Ruff's layup gave them their first lead, 6-5.
Keely Barnard connected from beyond the arc off
Riley Kerwin's assist with four seconds left in the first quarter to tie it at 18. In the second, Barnard turned a steal into a fast-break layup, and Ruff followed a tying layup with a 3-pointer for a 34-31 advantage.
Abby Wendte added a steal and fast-break basket during a 14-2 closing run, then made both free throws with two seconds left to send USM into halftime ahead 43-33.
Ruff scored all 12 of their points before halftime and finished with nine rebounds while shooting 5-of-9, including 2-of-3 from long range. Wendte led the Spires with 20 points and 11 rebounds, making 10-of-14 free throws.
Kate Harter added 12 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, with eight rebounds coming on the offensive end. Barnard scored 13 points, and Kerwin supplied eight of Saint Mary's 12 assists.
BU cut the margin to 47-44 with 6:39 left in the third quarter on Cole's third 3-pointer of the quarter. Wendte answered with a layup, and the Spires rebuilt its cushion.
Maecy Hinkebein hit a 3-pointer off
Ariana Mosley's assist for a 60-53 lead before Wendte made both free throws at 2:51 to restore the 10-point advantage. The Wildcats closed the quarter on an 11-2 run, capped by Carpenter's layup with three seconds left, leaving the Spires ahead 65-64.
Cady Huffman opened USM's fourth-quarter scoring with a fast-break layup after blocking a shot and collecting the defensive rebound on Baker's preceding possession.
A'Myah Bankston's layup extended the lead to 69-64, and Barnard later scored off an offensive rebound. Carpenter hit two 3-pointers, the second putting Baker ahead 74-72. Harter reclaimed the lead at 5:53 with an offensive-rebound layup and one made free throw on the ensuing attempt, but Baker answered with six consecutive points.
Wendte's basket in the paint trimmed the deficit to three, and Barnard's 3-pointer brought Saint Mary within 82-80 at 1:54. Cole answered 17 seconds later with a seventh 3-pointer. Baker then made six free throws before Kerwin's layup with 16 seconds remaining completed the scoring. Cole finished with 31 points and 13 rebounds, scoring 25 points after halftime.
USM held advantages in rebounds (54-46), paint points (48-34) and second-chance points (25-17). Bankston contributed nine points, while Huffman added six points and seven rebounds. The Spires shot 31-of-80 from the field and 14-of-27 at the foul line, and seven of their 16 turnovers came in the fourth quarter. Baker finished 11-of-29 from 3-point range and outscored USM 58-39 in the second half.
Coming Up…
A quick turnaround for the Spire women as they head to Atchison, Kansas tomorrow Saturday, October 31
st to take on the Benedictine College Ravens to finish out the KCAC/Heart Challenge and USM's opening weekend. The Spires and Ravens will tip-off at 2 p.m. at Ralph Nolan Gymnasium.
