OTTAWA, Kan. – The Ottawa University women's basketball team used a 23-point fourth quarter to earn an 81-69 victory over Missouri Baptist University on Wednesday night in Wilson Field House.
McKinley Kruger led Ottawa with 20 points, while
Ashlynn Arnsman finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Dominique Schutte added 13 points, and
Clare Williams scored 11 points. The Braves forced 24 Missouri Baptist turnovers and turned those into 21 points.
First Quarter
Ottawa opened the game with a basket from
Miranda Patterson and a 3-pointer by
Clare Williams to take a 5-2 lead. Missouri Baptist responded, tying the game at 5-5. The Braves regained the lead on a basket by
Ashlynn Arnsman, but the Spartans continued to battle, tying the game five times in the opening quarter.
With the score tied at 13-13,
Addisen Wills connected on a 3-pointer to give Ottawa a 17-13 lead with 3:25 remaining. Wills followed with a basket off a Missouri Baptist turnover, extending the OU advantage to 19-13.
Schutte knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:42 remaining to give the Braves their largest lead of the quarter, 22-15. Missouri Baptist cut into the Ottawa advantage, but two free throws by Schutte with 23 seconds remaining gave the Braves a 24-21 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Second Quarter
The Braves continued to build their lead in the second quarter. After Missouri Baptist scored the opening basket, Kruger connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to give Ottawa a 30-25 advantage with 8:07 remaining.
A basket by Arnsman pushed the OU lead to five, and Schutte followed with a 3-pointer at the 6:29 mark to extend Ottawa's advantage to 35-27.
Ottawa took its largest lead of the half, 40-29, on an Arnsman basket with 3:01 remaining. Missouri Baptist responded with a 9-2 run to cut the Braves' lead to 42-38 with 46 seconds left.
Kruger scored with 24 seconds remaining to put OU ahead 44-38, but the Spartans answered with a basket in the final seconds. Ottawa took a 44-40 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter
Missouri Baptist opened the second half with a basket to cut Ottawa's lead to 44-42. Kruger answered with a basket, but the Spartans continued to chip away at the Braves' advantage.
Missouri Baptist took its first lead of the game, 47-46, with 5:48 remaining in the quarter. Kruger responded with a basket to put Ottawa back in front, 48-47, but the Spartans answered with a 3-pointer to regain the lead.
Wills tied the game at 50-50 with 4:16 remaining. Missouri Baptist scored the next four points to take its largest lead of the game, 54-50, with 1:56 on the clock.
Arnsman scored back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 54-54 with 1:09 remaining. After the Spartans regained a two-point advantage at the free throw line, Arnsman connected on two free throws to tie the game at 56-56.
Missouri Baptist completed a three-point play with six seconds remaining, but Kruger made two free throws with two seconds left to bring Ottawa within one, 59-58, entering the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
The Braves took control of the game in the final 10 minutes, outscoring Missouri Baptist 23-10 to secure the victory.
Arnsman opened the scoring with a 3-pointer at the 8:48 mark to give Ottawa a 61-59 lead. Missouri Baptist tied the game at 61-61, but Schutte answered with a basket to put OU back in front.
After the Spartans tied the game at 63-63 with 6:15 remaining, Schutte connected on a 3-pointer to give Ottawa a 66-63 advantage. The basket sparked a decisive 13-1 run by the Braves.
Kiana Hostetler made four straight free throws to extend the lead to 70-63 with 5:03 remaining. Arnsman added a free throw, and Williams scored on a fast-break basket to give Ottawa a 73-64 advantage.
Williams then connected on a 3-pointer with 2:53 remaining, extending the Braves' lead to 76-64. Ottawa continued to add to its advantage at the free throw line, taking its largest lead of the game, 81-66, with 15 seconds remaining.
Missouri Baptist scored the final three points, but Ottawa secured the 81-69 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- McKinley Kruger led the Braves with 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block. She shot 7-for-17 from the floor and made two 3-pointers.
- Ashlynn Arnsman finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. She shot 6-for-9 from the floor.
- Dominique Schutte scored 13 points, connecting on three 3-pointers.
- Clare Williams finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, a team-high four assists, one block, and one steal.
- Addisen Wills scored seven points, grabbed two rebounds, and recorded two steals.
- Miranda Patterson finished with six points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a team-high five steals.
- Kiana Hostetler scored four points, all from the free throw line.
- Sydney Kessler pulled down eight rebounds, dished out two assists, and recorded two steals.
- Ottawa shot 37.7 percent from the floor (26-for-69), 27.3 percent from behind the 3-point line (9-for-33), and 60.6 percent from the free throw line (20-for-33).
- The Braves forced 24 turnovers while committing 14 of their own.
- OU finished with 16 steals, 16 assists, and three blocked shots.
- Ottawa scored 21 points off turnovers, 17 fast-break points, 30 points in the paint, and 10 second-chance points.
- The Braves outscored Missouri Baptist 23-10 in the fourth quarter.
- Missouri Baptist shot 41.3 percent from the floor (26-for-63), 15.8 percent from the 3-point line (3-for-19), and 66.7 percent from the free throw line (14-for-21).
- Jenna Plymale led Missouri Baptist with 16 points, while Sydney Reddin added 15 points. Kamryn Winch finished with nine points and 12 rebounds.
Who is Next
Ottawa (5-1) opens KCAC play on Saturday, Nov. 14 in Hillsboro, Kan. at Tabor College. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m.
