FULTON, Mo. - William Woods women's basketball (0-4, 0-2 Heart) put together a competitive first half on Wednesday night inside Anderson Arena, but a decisive third-quarter run from Missouri Valley (3-3, 2-0 Heart) proved to be the turning point in a 74–47 loss in Heart of America Conference play.
The Owls opened the night strong, matching the Vikings shot-for-shot through the first 10 minutes. Jersee Wren set the tone early, knocking down a pair of threes on her way to an eight-point opening quarter as WWU moved in front to an early lead.
William Woods continued to trade leads into the second quarter. Mariah Prince provided an interior spark, adding six more first-half points and anchoring the defensive glass. Her work inside helped the Owls take their largest lead of the night, 26–22, with under a minute remaining in the first half. Missouri Valley responded with a quick seven-point run, sending WWU into the locker room trailing 29–27 in a tightly contested first 20 minutes.
The momentum shifted after halftime. Missouri Valley used a 29-10 third quarter to separate itself, capitalizing on second-chance opportunities and sinking nine shots from behind the arc on the night. Maddison Mills led the Vikings with 18 points, hitting five shots from deep while collecting 10 boards.
Prince turned in a solid performance for the Owls, finishing with 12 points and 13 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Wren also added 12 points with three steals, while freshman standout Abby Alvernia contributed across the stat line with eight points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 35 minutes of action on the court.
The Owls produced 26 points in the paint and forced 12 turnovers, but the offense was limited thanks to continued pressure from the Vikings. WWU finished 19-of-61 from the field and 4-of-17 from deep, while Missouri Valley converted 21 points off turnovers and 20 second-chance points to extend the margin late.
After the loss, William Woods hits the road to Oskaloosa, Iowa, to take on William Penn University at 4 p.m. on Friday.
