(FULTON, Mo., March 4)--The 21st-ranked William Woods University women's basketball team had to mount a second half comeback to defeat visiting Missouri Baptist University Friday night in Anderson Arena. The Owls defeated the Spartans 68-64 in the semifinals of the AMC postseason tournament. They advance to the championship game on Monday at Columbia College. Tip-off is at 7 pm.

Missouri Baptist took a 39-31 lead into halftime. The Spartans were 15-for-35 (42.9%) from the field, including 4-for-14 from the three-point line. The Owls were 10-for-30 (33.3%) from the field and 0-for-6 from long range. Rachel Baker (Mexico, Mo.) led the Owls with 11 points and six rebounds at the break.

MBU stayed hot in the first three minutes of the second half. They pushed their lead to 13 points (47-34) on back-to-back three pointers.

Sharron Andrews (Oakland/Hayward, Calif.) sparked the Owls during the next six minutes. The Owls went on a 16-2 run to take the lead with 11:38 remaining. During that run, Andrews scored four points and recorded three steals.

The Owls took the lead (51-49) on a field goal and free throw by Baker. The 16-2 run became a 25-4 (59-51) run on a lay-up by Miranda Loesch (Lohman, Mo.) with 7:47 remaining. The eight-point lead was the largest of the night for WWU.

Missouri Baptist battled back to close the gap to two points with :45 remaining on a pair of free throws from Ashley Johnson. William Woods had a chance to make it a two possession game in the closing seconds. Andrews missed a jumper from the left wing with :15 left in the ball game. That gave Missouri Baptist one more crack at the upset.

With no time outs remaining, the Spartans grabbed the rebound and quickly moved up the floor. Kylee Grant took a three-pointer from the right wing for the potential game-winner. Her shot rimmed out, the Owls grabbed the rebound and Andrews made two free throws at the other end to seal the victory.

Baker led the Owls with 20 points in the win. She added 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three steals. Loesch added eight points and a team-high 12 rebounds for the Owls. Andrews finished the night with 10 points, five steals, an assist and a rebound.

MBU (16-13) shot 29% from the field in the second half, and 37% from the field in the game. WWU (29-3) shot 45.7% from the field in the second half, and 40% from the field in the game. The Owls outrebounded the Spartans 47-36.

Monday's championship game will be the third meeting between the 14th-ranked Columbia College Cougars and the Owls. CC defeated William Woods 71-55 in Fulton, Mo., on January 29, and 80-73 in Columbia, Mo., on February 26. For the second consecutive year, the Cougars and Owls will meet in the AMC postseason tournament championship game.