ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — The Missouri State Lady Bears used a balanced scoring attack and a dominant defensive effort to secure a 69-53 victory over the Texas-Arlington Mavericks in a non-conference women’s basketball game Friday night at College Park Center.

The Lady Bears improved to 2-0 on the young season, while the Mavericks fell to 0-2.

Missouri State seized control early, outscoring Texas-Arlington 15-13 in the first quarter and 18-13 in the second to take a 33-26 lead into halftime. The Lady Bears maintained their advantage after the break, adding 16 points in the third quarter before closing out the game with a 20-point fourth quarter. The Mavericks were held to 13 or 14 points in every period, unable to mount a sustained offensive run.

Kaemyn Bekemeier led all scorers for Missouri State, pouring in 19 points. Faith Lee was equally impactful, adding 20 points to the winning effort. The Lady Bears’ offense was facilitated by Maycee James, who dished out a team-high six assists.

Texas-Arlington was anchored by a formidable defensive presence from Kira Reynolds, who recorded six blocked shots to go along with 10 points. Jadyn Atchison also contributed 10 points and four assists for the Mavericks.

While both teams committed 18 turnovers, Missouri State’s efficiency on both ends of the floor proved decisive. The Lady Bears shot 43.6 percent from the field, compared to 35.3 percent for the Mavericks. Missouri State also won the battle on the glass, securing nine offensive rebounds to Texas-Arlington’s three, which led to crucial second-chance opportunities.

Defensively, Missouri State was active in the passing lanes, tallying 10 steals. Texas-Arlington’s defense was highlighted by its rim protection, as the team combined for 10 blocks.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 586. Missouri State’s next contest is on the road Tuesday against Southeast Missouri State. Texas-Arlington returns to action at home Tuesday against Wyoming.