St. Louis, Mo. – For just the second time in 42 contests, the Columbia College women's basketball team dropped a game to the Missouri Baptist Spartans. The Spartans defeated Columbia, 61-50 in St. Louis. 
 
The Cougars fall to 17-6 overall and 10-2 in the American Midwest Conference (AMC), while the Spartans improve to 12-11 overall and 9-4 in the AMC. 
 
The Spartans scored the first six points and eventually extended their lead to 10-2 with 3:43 left in the opening quarter. Missouri Baptist led 15-6 at the end of the first quarter. 
 
In the second period, the Cougars used a 6-0 to tie the game at 20-20 with 2:19 left in the first half. Missouri Baptist scored five of the last seven points of the half and took a 25-22 lead into the halftime locker room. 
 
A Mallory Shetley 3-point field goal with 4:10 left in the third quarter gave Columbia their first lead of the game, 32-31. The Spartans quickly regained the lead and extended their advantage to five (40-35), heading into the final quarter. 
 
Columbia cut their deficit down to one point (42-41) with 6:54 left, but that was as close as they would get as Missouri Baptist won by double figures. 
 
Key Moment:
After the Cougars cut the lead to one point (42-41) in the fourth quarter, the Spartans went on a 9-0 run to increase their lead to double digits. 
 
By the Numbers:
23 – Mallory Shetley scored a season-high 23 points.
9 – The Cougars had nine second chance points. 
18-4 – Missouri Baptist held an advantage in bench points
 
Columbia Leaders:
Scoring Leader – Mallory Shetley (23)
Rebounding Leader – Mallory Shetley / Clare Shetley (7)
Assist Leader – Mallory Shetley (2)
Steals Leader – Clare Shetley / Allison Stiers (2)
 
Missouri Baptist Leaders:
Scoring Leader – Tionne Taylor (25)
Rebounding Leader – Jalexis Russell (10)
Assist Leader – Rose Wassef / Joelle Atkins (2)
Steals Leader – Tionne Taylor (3)
 
Up Next:
Columbia returns home and faces Stephens (Mo.) on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 5:30 PM.