LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Hesston College women’s basketball team competed through four quarters but fell 115–52 to Arkansas Baptist College on Saturday afternoon in Little Rock. The Larks stayed engaged early, but Arkansas Baptist used sustained scoring runs in each quarter to pull away.
Arkansas Baptist set the tone early, opening the game on a 10–2 run and taking a 28–18 lead after the first quarter. Hesston found offense inside behind Akiva Brown and Brooke Bettis, but Arkansas Baptist capitalized on turnovers and transition opportunities to extend its lead to 61–29 by halftime.
Brown led Hesston with 17 points, scoring consistently in the paint, while Bettis added 15 points to pace the Larks offensively. Sarah Beltran and Emma Pfannenstiel each chipped in five points, and Mia Curtis added four as Hesston continued to work for quality looks against Arkansas Baptist’s pressure defense.
Arkansas Baptist maintained control in the third quarter, outscoring Hesston 32–7 to push the lead further. Despite the margin, the Larks continued to compete on the boards and pushed the pace offensively in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 points in the final period.
Hesston finished the game shooting 29.7 percent from the field and was outpaced by Arkansas Baptist’s efficiency and depth. Arkansas Baptist shot 48.9 percent for the game and forced 29 Hesston turnovers, turning them into consistent scoring opportunities.
The Larks return to action Friday, Feb. 6, as they play with a home matchup against Faith Baptist Bible College at 7:00 PM.
