BOLIVAR, Mo. – With eight minutes to go, things looked bleak for the 18th ranked Missouri Western Women’s Basketball team. The Griffons trailed by 13 points and had five players, including four starters, with four fouls. But a 27-8 run by Missouri Western in the final eight minutes lifted the team to a 93-87 win at Southwest Baptist and preserved the team’s unblemished record.

An 18-4 run after falling behind by 13 in the fourth quarter put Missouri Western up by one with 2:10 to go. Southwest Baptist tied the game at 84 with 1:26 left but Chelsea Dewey’s first field goal of the game with 1:19 left gave the Griffons a lead they would not surrender. Missouri Western used 61 percent shooting from the field and 89 percent shooting from the free throw line in the second half to close the gap and take its first lead in the game late in the fourth quarter.

The Griffons went to halftime down by 10 after shooting 25 percent from the field and battling through early foul trouble. The game featured 68 personal fouls and 88 free throw attempts. Missouri Western found itself in early foul trouble but battled through and used Southwest Baptist’s late foul trouble to its advantage.

Sarafina Handy led all scorers with 24 points. She added seven rebounds and four steals. Miliakere Koyamainavure and Jefferson both ended the game with 18 points. Jefferson scored 16 of those in the second half.

Missouri Western improved its record to 7-0 and 2-0 in MIAA play. The Griffons are 3-0 on the road, matching the away win total from the previous two seasons, combined. Pittsburg State will visit the Fieldhouse Thursday, Dec. 10 for a 5:30 tip.

— MWSU Athletics —