FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University women's basketball team came out with a narrow 57-55 win over Central Baptist College Saturday afternoon.
The win snapped the Owls' losing streak and brings them to 6-16 on the season with a 4-11 conference mark.
The Owls travel to Cottey College for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
17 – Sydney Booker led the floor with 17 points, having nine come from the foul line.
12 – Natalie Thomas added 12 points after going 7-8 from the foul line.
11 – Mariah Prince finished just shy of a double-double with 11 points and eight boards.
8 – Mariah Prince pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
7 – Sydney Booker pulled down seven boards.
5 – Mariah Prince grabbed five steals, and Natalie Thomas recorded a team-high five assists.
The first quarter was off to a slow start with the game sitting at 6-6 after seven minutes of play. The Owls struck a 7-2 run with all seven coming from Sydney Booker in just over a minute to take a 13-11 lead but CBC hit a long jumper at the buzzer to even the score at 13 all.
The Owls blasted a 19-7 run through the last seven minutes to close out the half after CBC pushed an 8-1 run to start the quarter.
CBC pushed an 11-4 run to start the half, taking the lead after five minutes of play, 39-37. A jumper from Madison Adolphsen put the Owls back on top, but the two teams traded possession over the next few minutes. Four good free throws from Natalie Thomas put the Owls up by three with under a minute to play, and the Owls held on for a one-point lead heading into the final quarter, 46-45.
The Owls stayed just ahead of CBC despite them evening the score twice in the first eight minutes of the final quarter. A steal and fast break layup from Mariah Prince put the Owls back up by two with just under one minute to play, 55-53. CBC brought the game within one with 20 seconds on the clock, 56-55. After failing to get a steal, CBC resorted to fouling, sending Booker to the line for double bonus. She hit just one, leaving the possibility for overtime, but CBC's Rhys Anderson missed the three just before the buzzer to give the Owls the 57-55 win.
