Wildcats Pick Up Double-Digit Win on the Road at Missouri Valley

MARSHALL, Mo. – Boosted by four 3-pointers in the third quarter, Baker women's basketball defeated conference opponent Missouri Valley, 60-49 on Wednesday in Marshall, Mo. for the Wildcats' second win in their past three games.

The Wildcats shot exactly 50 percent from the floor and finished 6-for-16 from behind-the-arc, while putting together a solid game defensively. BU held the Vikings to shoot just barely 25 percent from the floor and forced 19 turnovers, saving its best defensive performance for the fourth quarter where the Wildcats limited Valley to just eight points in the decisive frame.

Leah Van Weelden scored 11 of her team-best 17 points in the second half of Wednesday's action and Emma Cunningham posted her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Jaelyn Two Hearts chipped in 13 points and six assists for her seventh straight game in double figures.

Two Hearts got off to a nice start for BU, scoring seven of the team's first 10 points with her first triple of the game giving Baker a 10-8 lead. Cunningham and Van Weelden added a couple of buckets as the Wildcats took a 16-12 lead after the end of the opening quarter.

In the second, the Wildcats defense continued to stifle the Vikings, holding them without a field goal until the 3:07 mark while Baker ran its cushion up to double digits with layups by Cunningham and Sophia Barrett and another Two Hearts three highlighting the stretch for BU.

With Baker leading by 11, the Vikings first field goal of the period came on a 3-pointer to spark a string of nine unanswered points for the hosts. Van Weelden was able to knock down a jumper to halt the run right before the half as the Wildcats went into the break clinging to a 29-25 lead.

The Wildcats started to heat up from downtown to fuel things for them in the third quarter with Cunningham draining the first three to put Baker back in front after the Vikings took the lead. Two Hearts added another three to make it a five-point ballgame before a three by MVC tied the game at 37-37.

Matalina Ochoa tallied the third triple of the period to BU on top, 40-37 before Van Weelden came through with Baker's fourth and final three of their third-quarter barrage in spectacular fashion with a buzzer-beater to give the Wildcats a 45-41 lead heading into the final quarter.

Baker scored six straight points to open things up in the fourth with a layup by Barrett off a fast break putting BU up by double digits again with less than five minutes remaining.

The Vikings hit back-to-back triples to get within five, but a jumper by the veteran Van Weelden sealed the game for the Wildcats as they finished off their two-game road trip with their second win away from Baldwin City this season.

For Van Weelden, it was her third conference game of the year with at least 17 points, including a season-high outing at Graceland last week where she notched 25 points. Cunningham's double-double was her second of 2024 after a 16-and-10 performance against Culver-Stockton on Jan. 6.

Baker returns to the Collins Center for a conference matchup against No. 18 Grand View on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. in Baldwin City.

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