CANTON, Mo. – On a cold, blustery night, the Mustangs traveled to take on the Wildcats of Culver-Stockton College in a Heart of America Conference showdown. The Wildcats got an early jump out of the gates to secure the lead. That lead would be maintained by the home team for the entirety of the game despite multiple surges by the visiting Mustangs. The Wildcats defeated the Mustangs 81-69. With this loss, the Mustangs move to a record of 5-16 overall and 1-14 in conference play.To start the game, the Wildcats would rattle off the first seven points of the game before Lakin Goodman (SR/Morrison, Ill.) put the Mustangs on the board with the long ball. However, the Wildcats were not to be stopped starting the game outscoring the Mustangs 17-8, which set the pace for the remaining three quarters. In the second quarter, the Mustangs would outscore the Wildcats 25-24 thanks to an opening 11-2 run. Audrey Mulumba (JR/Vantaa, Finland) and Sharice Kawakami (SR/Honolulu, Hawaii) combined for those 11 points in just over two minutes to force a 19-19 tie. From there the Wildcats would regain the lead after a second quarter run of their own to go into halftime with the advantage 41-33. Similarly, in the third quarter, the Mustangs outscored the Wildcats 21-17. Aaliyah Brown (JR/Crawfordsville, Iowa) lead the charge as she scored 11 of the Mustangs 21 points in the quarter including three baskets from beyond the arc. This change pulled the Mustangs within four heading to the fourth quarter. Closing the gap to just two after a three pointer by Kawakami, the Wildcats would take back command of their home court to close out the game and secure the win.In tonight's matchup, the Mustangs shot 40% from the field and an impressive 45.8% from beyond the three-point arc (11-for-24) while shooting 71.4% from the line. The Mustangs collected just 31 total rebounds compared to the Wildcats' 48 rebounds. Individual leaders were Kawakami with 19, Brown with a career-high 18, going 3-for-4 from the three-point line, and Goodman adding 11. On the boards, Brown led with five followed by Brianna Thomas (JR/Mesquite, Texas) with four. Paris Sheck (SO/Gold Coast Queensland, Australia) dished out three assists. Kawakami, Aurianna Hampton (SR/Zion, Ill.), and Anna LeGrand (FR/Coggon, Iowa) all collected one block a piece and Mulumba tallied two steals on the night.Up next, the Mustangs will host the No. 4 Pioneers of MidAmerica Nazarene University on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 2:00 P.M. in Hennessey Rec Center.
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