FULTON, Mo. – Senior Tori Nesslage scored a team-high 13 points in Tuesday's senior day win over University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy (UHSP). The 47-45 win breaks the Owls' four-game losing streak and gives them three wins on the season.
 
The Owls close out their three-game home stretch on Thursday with a home game versus Central Baptist College. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
 
By The Numbers
13 – Tori Nesslage tied her career-high with 13 points. She shot 71.4 percent from the field (5-for-7).
7 – Amaya Keeling pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
4 – Natalie Thomas dished in four assists.
 
Game Flow
Senior Tori Nesslage scored the first six points of the game for the Owls, and Kasey Hazell gave the Owls a five-point lead with a good bucket with just over three minutes off the clock. The team remained in control, but UHSP brought the game within one as they hit the final shot of the first quarter, 12-11.
 
Jheda Kennedy scored first to put the Owls up by three to start the second quarter, 14-11. After UHSP cut the game to one with 3:35 on the clock, the Owls scored three on free throws and Natalie Thomas scored on a fast break layup to take a six-point lead with 2:12 on the clock, 22-16. UHSP scored with 30 seconds on the clock, sending the Owls into halftime leading by four, 22-18.
 
UHSP took just their second lead of the game coming out of halftime with an 8-0 run coming from Grace Beyer, 26-22. Nesslage broke the Owls silence after 6 ½ minutes, and Amaya Keeling added two in the paint to even the score. Thomas again evened the score after UHSP scored two off free throws, and Skylyr Leake put one in down low to take a two-point lead with 1:30 on the clock, 30-28. UHSP scored the final points of the quarter on free throws to send the game into the final quarter with the score sitting at 30-30.
 
A traditional three-point play from Kiyanna Rodgers gave the Owls a three-point lead to start the fourth, but UHSP evened the score with a three quickly after. A 10-2 run from UHSP put the Owls down by six with 4:28 on the clock, 43-37. Kennedy hit a three followed by a power move and finish from Kasey Hazell to cut the game to one with 3:07 to play, 43-42. UHSP scored on a put back to take a three-point lead, but the Owls' defense forced two key turnovers and held UHSP from scoring again in the final 2 ½ minutes while they scored five to pull out a 47-45 win.