SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Despite a season-best 51.5 percent (35-68) from the floor - including a 75 percent (12-16) second quarter pace - and 30 points from
Aiyanna Tanksley, William Woods (5-3) couldn't keep pace with future AMC foe Baptist Bible College (8-4) in a 91-86 loss on Saturday afternoon.
Sydney Booker (14),
Katie Keilholz (10) and
Natalie Thomas (10) also finished in double figures in the shootout.
Woods struggled to find its range in the first quarter, connecting on just five of 16 field goal attempts (31.3 percent) over the first 10 minutes. Solid free-throw shooting helped keep the Owls within striking distance, though, as they only trailed by a 20-15 margin after the first.
A three-pointer by Karlie Sampson and a pair of free throws by Laney Humble bookended a Tanksley miss and allowed the Patriots to extend to a 10-point lead. The Owls post player didn't miss again in the frame, accounting for 16 of WWU's 24 points in the quarter, but Baptist Bible was able to hang on to its lead with a 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) pace from beyond the arc and take a 46-39 lead into the break.
BBC stretched to an 11-point lead early in the third quarter, but Woods found its rhythm and slowly chipped away at the deficit, with a three-point play by Booker closing the gap to two inside the first five minutes of the quarter.
In the final minute of the third quarter, WWU finally brought things back to level terms, as Thomas found an open
Peyton Dearing in the lane for a layup. The Owls earned a stop on the ensuing possession, but couldn't find an open shot down the stretch, heading to the fourth quarter tied 68-68.
A three pointer by Keilholz and a basket by
Jersee Wren put Woods up 73-72 with just over two minutes played in the final stanza, but Humble reclaimed the lead for the home team with a second-chance basket.
Woods hit a cold patch over the next minute and a half, giving Baptist Bible the chance to stretch out to a 79-73 lead. Tanksley pulled WWU within a single possession twice in the final six minutes, but the Owls couldn't finish the comeback.
WWU opens conference play on Wednesday, traveling to Stephens College for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.
