MidAmerica improved to 24-2 overall and 14-1 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference and is one game ahead of Benedictine for first-place in the conference standings.
The Wildcats fell to 18-9 and 11-4 in the HAAC and is now one game up on Central Methodist for third-place in the conference standings. Baker and CMU will meet in the season finale on Feb. 23.
MNU jumped out to an early 14-3 lead to begin the game, but that didn't deter the 'Cats and they stayed the course even after a 20-point deficit at 32-12.
After that point sophomore Kyrstie Ehm got hot and cut the lead to 14, 35-21, with a three-pointer, then quieted the MNU crowd with a three pointer with 1:00 minute left to cut the lead to eight, 35-27. Both teams went scoreless the rest of the half and entered the lock room with that 35-27 score.
MNU kept a double figure lead all the way up until the 13:04 mark, when Ehm again hit a three to put Baker within eight, 49-41. Then Alisha Fanshier hit a bucket and with 12:02 to go, Baker trailed by just six, 49-43.
Back-and-forth they went and the Wildcats finally cut the lead to two points with 1:46 left with a basket in the paint by Rashida Simpson to trim the deficit to 69-67 in favor of MNU.
The Wildcats had a few chances to tie things up and had the final possession of the game, but BriAnna Garza's three-point attempt came up short and the Pioneers went home with the two-point victory.
Ehm led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting and went 6-of-7 from behind the arc. The rebound margin was tied at 34-34 and the Wildcats shot 78.3-percent from the free-throw line on 18-of-23.
Baker will next take on Evangel University on Monday, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. in Springfield, Mo.
-BAKER-
