Wildcats Fall in Exhibition Match at Rockhurst to Close Out 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Taking a break from Heart of America Conference action, the Baker women's basketball team fell to NCAA Division II opponent Rockhurst by a score of 82-60 on Saturday afternoon in the 2023 finale for BU.

The Wildcats scored over 16 points in three quarters but couldn't cool off a Hawks side that totaled 11 threes and knocked down 25 free throws in the game. After shooting only six free throws in its previous game against Benedictine, Baker went 19-for-26 from the charity stripe on Saturday.

Sophia Barrett led BU in scoring with 16 points, going 10 of 14 at the line to notch her fourth game this year with double-digit points. Jaelyn Two Hearts and Emma Cunningham followed right behind with 15 and 14 points, respectively, with Cunningham recording her third double-double of the year with a team-high 10 rebounds.

Two Hearts kicked off the game with a triple to give Baker the lead right out of the gate, but the Hawks hit back-to-back 3-pointers to work an eight-point advantage out of the early action. A couple of fast break layups by Leah Van Weelden brought the 'Cats within six before RU built up a double-digit lead as the hosts went into the quarter break with a 27-18 lead.

After the Hawks took their turn of hitting a quarter-opening three, Two Hearts followed with her second triple of the half to cut it to a seven-point BU deficit. RU followed with eight unanswered points sparked by two more shots from downtown and closed out its second straight 20-point quarter with an 11-2 run to take a 49-26 halftime lead.

In the second half, Rockhurst built its lead out to 28 points before a three by Kayla Harrison brought it back to a 20-point margin. Barrett's three free throws in the final 90 seconds of the period settled the third quarter score at 64-44.

Cunningham converted back-to-back buckets to open up the fourth quarter, but the Hawks responded to go up by 28 points again as they went on to defeat their second straight NAIA opponent with an 82-60 victory. Rockhurst beat Park, 80-45 on Friday as part of back-to-games at the Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse this weekend.

Following the flip of the calendar, Baker will begin 2024 action with a home game against MidAmerica Nazarene on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the Collins Center in Baldwin City.

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