by SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Opening up the 2023-24 season on the road, the Baker women’s basketball team fell to non-conference opponent Baptist Bible, 68-62 on Friday evening in Springfield, Mo.
The Wildcats led after the first quarter and trailed by just one at the half, but the Patriots used a 21-point third period to build up enough cushion to steal the season-opening victory.
Baker outshot BBC in both field goals and three pointers, going 25-for-54 (46%) from the field and 3-for-13 (23%) from long distance, but the Patriots forced 29 turnovers and converted 28 points off those miscues. Jaelyn Two Hearts scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds in her BU debut. Matalina Ochoa and Leah Van Weelden joined Two Hearts in double figures with Ochoa tallying 13 points and Van Weelden chipping in 11.
It was a bit of a slow start for both sides as the first bucket came over two minutes into the opening quarter before Baker started to warm up and go up 10-6 on a jumper by Ochoa. A couple of free throws by Van Weelden kept the four-point advantage for BU, but BBC scored three straight points to close out the first quarter with the Wildcats holding onto a 14-12 lead.
The Wildcats would go on a cold stretch for the first part of the second quarter with a couple of buckets by Two Hearts serving as the only shots from the field until late in the frame. After the Patriots went up 27-22, Baker closed out the first half with a run of its own, scoring six of the final eight points – including a buzzer-beater by Two Hearts – to make it a one-point ballgame with BBC leading 29-28 at the break.
Out of halftime, Van Weelden hit a shot for BU and Two Hearts nailed a three a little later to tie the game at 33-all before Ochoa put the Wildcats in front on a bucket with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter.
The Patriots drained a couple of shots from three-point range in the final three minutes of the third to build up a six-point lead at the end of the period. Sanijah Waller splashed a three for BU to limit the damage, but BBC would carry a 50-44 lead into the final quarter.
Emma Cunningham knocked down a jumper for BU after a steal by Two Hearts to begin the fourth quarter before another three by Two Hearts drew the ‘Cats within one at 52-51 with just under eight minutes to play. Once again, Ochoa put Baker on top with the junior from Phoenix, Ariz. scoring a basket to give Baker a 55-54 advantage.
With just over six minutes remaining, BBC put together a devastating stretch to take a double-digit lead at 66-55 with a couple of threes paving the way for them. The Wildcats battled down the stretch though with Van Weelden scoring back-to-back buckets to pull Baker within four at 66-62, but that would be as close as they’d get as BBC capped its 68-62 win.
