Jim Middleton won his 200th career game as a head coach at SBU.

[box vs. MBU]

BOLIVAR, MO. ... An 11-0 run midway through the second half propelled Southwest Baptist to a 79-66 win over #22 Missouri Baptist.  SBU was down one, 49-48, and then took a 10-point lead over the next five minutes.

With the win, head coach Jim Middleton achieved a coaching milestone with 200 career wins in his 12th season at SBU.  Middleton is now 200-120.  He has been to five NCAA Tournaments with one Sweet 16 appearance and 11 straight MIAA Tournaments.  SBU now has reeled off five-straight wins after starting the season at 2-2.

The Lady Bearcats had an exceptional day in scoring as four players scored in double figures.  Freshman Traci Bybee had a career-high 17 points while Livia Brito added 14 points.  Trisha Lyons recorded 13 while freshman Amy Dodd had her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.  Cortney Shewmaker fell two points shy of a double-double as she had eight points and 10 assists.  MBU's Angela Cerrito led all scorers with 23 points.

SBU ran out to an 11-2 lead to start the game in the first four minutes.  MBU responded with a 16-6 run over the next six minutes to take an 18-17 lead at the 10:17 mark.  SBU fought back to retake the lead, 23-18, on a layup by Shewmaker and did not give the lead up again in the first half.  SBU took a two-point lead into the half, 36-34.

Freshman Traci Bybee had a career-high 17 points in the win over Missouri Baptist.

It was a battle again in the second half as MBU would not back down to the Lady Bearcats.  There were two ties in the first two minutes and then three lead changes in the next three minutes.  With 12:59 to go in the game, MBU clung to a one-point lead, 49-48, but was in for an awakening as SBU reeled off an 11-0 run for a 10-point lead over the next five minutes.  Bybee gave SBU the lead back 50-49 as they never looked back.  MBU cut the lead to nine, once, at the 4:03 mark but SBU never let the Spartans back in the game. 

SBU canned 46% of their shots from the floor and made 64% of their free throws.  They were ice cold from 3-point land as they only made 2-of-10 shots for 20%.  MBU shot 38% from the floor and 56% from the free throw line.  SBU out rebounded MBU, 50-35.

The Lady Bearcats will now take on two regional opponents in the South Central Region Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada.  They will play St. Mary's on December 20 at 3 p.m. (central) and then Texas A&M-Commerce on December 21 at 7 p.m. (central).