COLUMBUS, Ms. – The Spalding women's basketball team played SLIAC opponent MUW on Saturday. SU won 69-45.

The Golden Eagles moved to 10-15 (9-9 SLIAC), while the Owls fell to 8-17 (7-11 SLIAC).

TURNING POINT
From the opening tip, Spalding established control with a fast-paced offensive attack and stifling defense. Sydney Raque set the tone early, draining two three-pointers in the first three minutes to give Spalding a quick lead. Zaneiya Batiste was a force in the paint, grabbing multiple offensive rebounds that led to second-chance opportunities. MUW responded with a brief scoring run, cutting Spalding's lead to 12-10 midway through the first quarter. However, the Golden Eagles answered with a 7-3 run to close out the period, capped by a Ma'Kaylia Lute mid-range jumper at the buzzer to make it 19-13.

Spalding continued to build on their lead in the second quarter by tightening up defensively. Nicole Hollowell provided a spark off the bench, knocking down a deep three and adding a strong drive to the basket to push the lead to 26-17. The Golden Eagles' defense forced several turnovers, allowing them to control the tempo. MUW attempted to battle back, using back-to-back baskets inside to cut the deficit to 31-25 with just under two minutes left in the half. Isis Rodgers and Sydney Raque responded with key plays—Rodgers hit a floater in the lane, and Raque buried her fourth three-pointer of the half to help Spalding take a 37-29 advantage into the locker room.

MUW struck first with an early bucket to begin the third quarter. Hollowell answered with a three-pointer from the corner, stretching the lead back to double digits at 40-31. Spalding's defense tightened from there, contesting every shot and controlling the glass. Rodgers came up big on the defensive end, recording a steal that led to an easy fast-break layup. Midway through the quarter, Spalding went on a 9-0 run, fueled by strong inside play from Batiste and a deep three from Raque. This extended the lead to 49-33. The Golden Eagles continued to dominate the paint, with Batiste and Rodgers combining for 10 rebounds in the quarter, keeping MUW off the offensive glass. A late MUW jumper trimmed the deficit slightly, but Spalding still entered the fourth quarter firmly in control at 56-42.

The final period was a defensive clinic by the Golden Eagles. Spalding held MUW to just three points in the entire quarter, suffocating them with relentless full-court pressure and forcing five turnovers. Offensively, Spalding continued to execute efficiently. Ma'Kaylia Lute knocked down a contested mid-range jumper to open the quarter, followed by another three from Raque, putting the game out of reach at 61-42. The Golden Eagles closed on a 13-3 run, with Batiste, Rodgers, and Hollowell cleaning up inside, securing second-chance opportunities and controlling the tempo. A final layup by Rodgers in the closing minute capped off the 69-45 victory.

GOLDEN EAGLE NOTES

• Sydney Raque led the way for the Golden Eagles with 22 points and a rebound.
• Ma'Kaylia Lute tallied nine points and two rebounds.
• Zaneiya Batiste snagged six points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
• The Golden Eagles land the sixth seed in the SLIAC Tournament.

NEXT FOR SPALDING
Spalding will travel to SLIAC opponent Eureka on Tuesday, February 25th, for the SLIAC Quarterfinal. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 pm.