Late Free Throws Sink Wildcats in Road Matchup at CMU

FAYETTE, Mo. - Fresh off a non-conference win from Monday, Baker women's basketball couldn't hang on to a late lead at Central Methodist, falling to the Eagles, 50-49, on the road on Wednesday night.

After the first half settled at a 25-25 deadlock, the Wildcats held CMU to just eight points in the third quarter and went on to carry a six-point lead with two minutes left to go in the fourth. The Eagles closed on an 8-1 run, including a pair of go-ahead free throws, to spoil BU's road upset hopes.

With both teams struggling to shoot from the floor, the real battle came at the free-throw line, where CMU's 14-for-17 mark turned out to be the difference maker to Baker's 13-for-16 line. BU came up short in both the turnover battle (20-14) and rebounding margin (35-40).

The Wildcats were led in scoring by double-digit efforts from Gabby Rose (15) and Skye Pepp (14), with Pepp adding in four assists and four rebounds. Kennedy Bryan knocked down a couple of 3-pointers to finish with eight points.

Rose and Rihanna Blanchard netted the first set of points to push BU out in front early. Another layup from Rose made it an 8-3 start before the Eagles started to match pace. After Pepp's free throws made it a four-point BU lead, CMU scored five straight points to end the period, with its second 3-pointer of the frame giving them a 15-14 lead.

The hosts stretched their lead with the first buckets of the second period and then took their biggest advantage after back-to-back threes to take a 25-18 lead midway through the quarter. Baker clamped down defensively and held CMU scoreless for the rest of the half, while a big three from Bryan helped the Wildcats tie things up at halftime, 25-25.

After a sluggish start to the second half, Rose helped get the BU offense going four minutes in, getting another layup to fall off of a nice pass from Taniya Tease, and then draining a big three to give Baker a 31-29 lead.

Maddie Wilbeck followed Rose's triple with one of her own to make it a five-point cushion and a jumper from Tease gave the Wildcats a 37-33 edge heading into the final quarter.

Baker remained in front for most of the final frame, including multiple six-point leads, with a second-chance opportunity from Rose and then a string of baskets from Pepp to go into the final five minutes with the upper hand.

Bryan's second triple of the night gave the Wildcats a 48-42 lead with 2:33 left, but the Eagles tied it up less than a minute later. A free throw from Tease put BU up by one, but after turnovers from each team, CMU drew a foul and converted at the line to take the lead.

The Wildcats' final possession got disrupted a couple of times by the suffocating CMU defense and Rose's last-second effort was partially blocked.

Due to projected inclement weather, Baker's home game against Missouri Valley, originally scheduled for this Saturday, has been postponed to Monday, Feb. 16, at 5:30 p.m. in Baldwin City.

This means the Wildcats' next outing will now be on Wednesday, Jan. 28, when they will host No. 11 MidAmerica Nazarene for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff in the Collins Center.

#BakerBuildsChampions