In a pivotal Missouri Valley Conference showdown, Jade Masogayo led the charge with 17 points as the Missouri State Lady Bears secured a commanding 73-54 victory over visiting Belmont. Masogayo's performance, complemented by Kennedy Taylor and Kyrah Daniels each contributing 13 points, propelled MoState (15-5, 9-2 MVC) to a wire-to-wire triumph, with Lacy Stokes adding 10 points and dishing out a game-high 6 assists.
Despite a resilient effort from Belmont (16-6, 9-2), led by Jailyn Banks' game-high 19 points, including an impressive 17-of-20 from the free-throw line, the Lady Bears' dominant start set the tone. A fast-paced opening quarter saw MSU sprint to a 12-0 lead, while their suffocating defense limited the Bruins to just 1-of-12 shooting, establishing a commanding 21-6 advantage.
While Belmont fought back in the second quarter, narrowing the deficit to seven points, MSU responded with determination, spurred on by Masogayo and Daniels, to maintain control. A pivotal surge in the third quarter, buoyed by the energetic home crowd, saw the Lady Bears surge ahead 57-43 heading into the final period.
Taylor and Paige Rocca sealed the victory with clutch plays down the stretch, ensuring Belmont's comeback efforts were thwarted. With a dominant display both offensively and defensively, Missouri State was dominant, shooting 47.3% from the field and outrebounding their opponents 42-26.
As they prepare to continue their home stand, the Lady Bears look ahead to their next challenge against Murray State (14-6, 7-4 MVC) on Sunday at 2 p.m., as they aim to maintain their momentum in the Missouri Valley Conference race at Great Southern Bank Arena for their annual Play4Kay Pink Out game.