Avila Topped by Baptist Bible in Home Opener

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Mabee Fieldhouse opened its doors to a varsity basketball game for the first time this fall on Thursday evening, and Baptist Bible College (3-0) knocked off Avila (0-2) 65-49 to spoil the Eagles' home opener.

The Eagles' first home game of the 2023-24 campaign was rather close throughout: across the first, third and fourth quarters BBC only outscored Avila by six points, but the difference came in the second quarter, which saw the Patriots outscore the Eagles by ten and take a 12-point lead into halftime that the Eagles weren't able to overcome, despite a solid finish to the game.

Many of the team stats in the game were fairly even overall, including rebounds, assists, and turnovers: but even though the turnover numbers were almost identical the Patriots were much more lethal on their opportunities, outscoring Avila by 18 points off of those turnovers en route to a 16-point victory. Baptist Bible was also more clinical from the line and from beyond the arc as they recorded their third win over an NAIA school to start the season.

Looking to rebound from a loss to Park in their season opener a few days prior, Avila got off to the faster start on Thursday when Hannah Smith knocked in the first field goal of the day, a three-pointer, and Hannah Pinkston followed with six straight points for her team to put Avila on top 9-4 less than four minutes in.

That would be their largest lead of the night, and after Gabby Coble canceled out a bucket from Mia Smith to tie the score at 11 apiece with two minutes left in the fourth, Kailyn Washington scored four straight off the bench to put the Patriots in front – and they never trailed again.

An early bucket from Marlie Wright helped keep the Eagles within three early in the second, but once Abby Woolsey completed a three-point play three minutes into the second period to put the visitors up by double digits for the first time, the Patriots kept the Eagles at bay for the rest of the game on the way to a 65-49 road victory.

Top Patriot scorer Cassidy Hambleton finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, despite not playing the second quarter due to foul trouble. In her stead, Washington erupted for 19 points in just 16 minutes off the bench along with four steals. Former Truman State Bulldog Hannah Pinkston dominated in her first game in her new home gym, recording the team's first double-double of the season with 19 points (7/12 FG) and 13 rebounds. Cecelia Eddy grabbed four rebounds, including a pair of important offensive boards, in 17 minutes off the bench.

Up next is a home game against one of the most fearsome foes on Avila's 2023-24 calendar: Briar Cliff, which began the season ranked No. 12 in the NAIA polls. The Eagles will endeavor to unplug the Chargers next Wednesday, November 8 in Mabee Fieldhouse. Tipoff is slated for 6 PM; as always, you can watch all the action on the Avila Sports Network.