Women's Basketball Falls at Home to Benedictine

Marshall, Mo., (Dec. 13, 2023)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams welcomed in Benedictine (Kan.) in the Burns Athletic Complex Wednesday evening for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader.  The women's team fell, 81-59, while the men's team came back from a halftime deficit for a 69-61 win.

Missouri Valley used seven points scored from Junior Gia Moore (Independence, Mo.) in the opening three minutes of play in the first quarter to move in front, 7-2.  Benedictine responded with an 8-0 run over a nearly two minute stretch of play to move ahead, 10-7, near the midway point of the quarter.  Freshman Ricarda Schott (Krefeld, Germany) ended the MVC drought with a layup, while a basket from Junior Rajone Callahan (Wichita, Kan.) brought the team into a 13-11 deficit near the three-minute mark.  The Ravens extended their advantage out to 19-11 in the final minute of the quarter, with a Moore field goal making it a 19-13 score.  Benedictine closed the quarter pushing its lead to 22-13.

The second quarter started with four-straight points for BC, moving Missouri Valley into a double-digit deficit at 26-13 with less than two minutes played.  Moore made a three-pointer, followed by a basket from Schott to close the gap back to single-digits, 26-18.  The two teams traded points over the next stretch, which featured a pair of free throws from Callahan and a jump shot by Schott to put the score at 30-22 near the six-minute mark.  The Ravens eventually pushed their lead out to 37-24 midway through the quarter.  Schott followed with a basket, and Sophomore Tyler Conkright (Ellington, Mo.) sank a three-pointer to bring the deficit to 39-29 with just over three minutes to play in the half.  The Vikings held BC scoreless over a more than two-minute stretch of play to end the quarter, while Sophomore Sophie Sullivan (Lombard, Ill.) and Conkright each sank two free throws to cap scoring and send the team into halftime trailing, 41-33.

Benedictine opened the third quarter with a 12-0 run.  The first points scored by MVC after the break came with more than four minutes played on two free throws by Conkright to put the deficit at 53-34.  The Ravens continued to extend its advantage through the rest of the quarter, and led 65-45 after three quarters of play.  The Vikings were unable to rally late in the game, as BC continued to build on its lead.  Missouri Valley eventually fell by a final score of 81-59.

Moore led with 22 points to go with four rebounds.  Schott added 10 points.  Conkright totaled seven points, seven rebounds and three assists.  Missouri Valley made 17 of 20 free throw attempts, and held a 40-39 edge in rebounds.

The loss drops Missouri Valley to 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the Heart.  Benedictine improves to 7-4 overall and 5-2 in the conference.

Up next for the women's basketball team is an exhibition game against NCAA Division II Rockhurst (Mo.), Saturday at 1 p.m., in Kansas City, Mo.

 Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.