Women's Basketball Holds Off Central Methodist in Home Win

Marshall, Mo., (Feb. 14, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams welcomed in Central Methodist (Mo.) into the Burns Athletic Complex for a Valentine's Night Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader.  The women's team held off CMU for an 81-71 win.  The men's team fell to the Eagles, 90-67.

Missouri Valley opened scoring in the women's game with a quick three-pointer and a layup from Junior Rajone Callahan (Wichita, Kan.) to go on top, 5-2, with nearly two minutes played.  Central Methodist closed the gap to 6-5 two minutes later.  Junior Gia Moore (Independence, Mo.) scored four points, and Junior Noa Fernandez (Castraneda, Spain) added a field goal over the next stretch to push the advantage out to 12-5 near the four-minute mark.  The Vikings continued to extend their lead over the final minutes of play in the quarter.  Moore made three-straight free throws, while Fernandez added a layup, and the quarter ended on a last-second three-point basket from Moore to make it a 22-13 score going into the second quarter.

The Eagles cut down their deficit to 22-17 with one minute played in the second quarter.  Missouri Valley's first field goal of the quarter came with nearly two minutes played, as Sophomore Sophie Sullivan (Lombard, Ill.) finished off a three-point play.  Callahan sank a three-point shot, while Sullivan added a layup with a steal and fastbreak layup from Senior Blanca Alcalde (Salamanca, Spain) that pushed the lead out to double-digits, 32-21, with just over three minutes off the clock.  Central Methodist got to within a 34-26 score midway through the quarter, but Moore answered with a three-pointer, and Junior Kiara Williams (Olathe, Kan.) made one free throw to stretch the lead to 38-26 one minute later.  The next made field goal for MVC came with just over one minute to play in the half, on a layup from Alcalde, while Moore made a pair of free throws moments later to make it a 45-30 score.  The half finished out with two made free throws from Junior Maddie Ferrara (Hendersonville, Tenn.) and a last-second layup by Sullivan to send Missouri Valley into the break on top, 49-32.

The third quarter started with Missouri Valley going scoreless through nearly a five-minute stretch to open play.  The Eagles worked their deficit down to 49-40 before a three-pointer from Alcalde ended the drought.  Sullivan came up with a basket moments later, while a steal by Moore led to a layup from Callahan to stretch the advantage to 56-42 with less than four minutes to play in the quarter.  Central Methodist chipped away at its deficit, making it a 56-49 score near the three-minute mark.  Moore answered with a field goal, and a steal from Callahan ended with a three-pointer from Ferrara to put the lead at 61-49 in the final minute.  The Eagles closed the gap back to single-digits going into the fourth quarter, 63-54.

The Vikings increased their advantage to double-digits quickly at the start of the fourth quarter, on a layup from Williams, and a fast-break basket from Sullivan, off a steal by Moore, to make it a 67-54 score in just over one minute played.  Sullivan and Moore each made a pair of free throws, while a fast-break layup from Fernandez, off a Moore steal, put the lead at 73-56 near the seven-minute mark.  Central Methodist rallied from there, limiting MVC to just two made free throws, and a 13-2 run to sit in a 75-69 deficit with less than two minutes remaining.  The two teams traded scoreless possessions until the final moments, when Callahan made a pair of free throws to keep the Vikings on top, 77-69.  Two more free throws from Moore and a last-second layup by Callahan sealed the victory, 81-71.

Moore led with 25 points to go with four assists and five steals.  Callahan and Sullivan each totaled 14 points.  Fernandez added her second double-double of the season, scoring 11 points to go with 11 rebounds, and six assists.  Missouri Valley forced 22 turnovers in the game, and finished with 11 offensive rebounds.

Missouri Valley improves to 12-13 overall and 10-11 in the Heart.  Central Methodist drops to 12-13 on the season and 9-12 in the conference.  The Vikings sweep the season series between the two teams, which included a 95-93 win in Fayette, Mo., back on Jan. 3.  This is the first season sweep of the Eagles since the 2014-15 season.

Up next, the Viking basketball teams travel to Dubuque, Iowa for a Heart doubleheader with Clarke (Iowa), Saturday.  The women's game against the No. 5 Pride is 12 p.m., followed by the men's game at 4 p.m.  Missouri Valley won the men's matchup, played in Marshall, Mo., back on Jan. 6, 78-62.

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About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.