DEXTER -- Saxony Lutheran used a 17-4 game-closing run Tuesday night to finish off the state-ranked Dexter Bearcats.
Chaylea Mosby scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to close the Bearcats' deficit to five before the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders pulled away for a 71-54 SEMO Conference victory over the sixth-ranked team in Class 4 of the state's coaches poll.
"We took care of the ball better than we did earlier in the game," Saxony Lutheran coach Sam Sides said. "We made some shots (and) did a better job on the boards. A lot of things came together. They were missing (Hannah) Thurmon for sure."
The Bearcats (15-4, 2-1 SEMO) played without starter Hannah Thurmon for the second straight game. She has a stress fracture in her right foot and is out indefinitely.
Dexter coach Chad Allen said that the team missed her length and her scoring and passing ability.
"The other girls are just going to have to step up," Allen said. "Hopefully, we'll get her back playoff time if everything goes well and it heals up well."
Mosby's driving layup and her 3-pointer cut the Crusaders' lead to 54-50, but Addison Beussink scored inside and Masyn McWilliams made a 3-pointer to extended their lead to nine.
After Rylee Allen scored inside, the Crusaders (16-2, 3-0) scored the next 10 points. Sophomore Emma Brune scored six of those points and had a steal. Laurel Mueller made jumper, and Beussink scored inside and had a steal, helping Saxony Lutheran take a commanding 69-52 lead.
Brune, a sophomore, scored eight of her game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter.
"She can do a lot of things. She's a good athlete," Sides said. "We need her to score. She can score. Her 3-point shot's been off a little bit, but she can take the ball to the basket and make her free throws."
Brune went 7 for 8 from the free-throw line.
Mosby scored seven of the Bearcats' nine fourth-quarter points and finished with a team-high 23 points, including three 3-pointers.
"We played pretty (well) with them for three quarters," Allen said. "I think they just sort of wore us out there a little bit in that fourth quarter. They had more energy than us. I think they played about 10 (nine) deep."
Dexter only used six players.
McWilliams helped the Crusaders take a 22-15 lead after one quarter. She scored 11 of her 23 points in the first. She made three of her game-high five 3-pointers in the quarter.
Brune added a 3-pointer during the Crusaders' 18-3 run that gave them a 22-11 lead.
Mosby and Natalie Sitze made early 3-pointers for the Bearcats, and Rylee Allen scored on an assist from Maci McBride on a fast break for an 8-4 lead.
Rylee Allen finished with 13 points two days after scoring 14 in a victory over Carbondale, Ill.
"Rylee's definitely stepped up the last two games and looked to score more and be a little more active and aggressive, so that's good to see" Coach Allen said. "We've just got to keep grinding and get better."
The Bearcats closed the quarter strong with Sitze making a midrange jumper and Mosby sinking two free throws with no time on the clock, cutting Saxony's lead to 22-15.
Dexter went to work inside to tie the score at 26 in the second quarter. Mosby and Rylee Allen scored second-chance points, Rylee Allen made a baseline jumper and Maycie Martin made two free throws to tie the score.
Saxony outscored the Bearcats 9-3 in the final three minutes to lead 35-29 at halftime.
The Bearcats clawed back to within three points of the lead when Mosby scored on a floater in the lane (41-38) but Mueller answered with a fall-away jumper and Brune scored on a three-point play to extend the lead to 46-38.
Saxony Lutheran pushed its lead to double digits for the first time since the first quarter after Coach Allen was issued a technical foul with the Crusaders leading 48-42. McWilliams made four free throws and Mueller scored two second-chance points to extend their lead to 12.
Sitze, who finished with eight points, made a 3-pointer near end the quarter, trimming the Bearcats' deficit to 54-45.
After making four 3-pointers in the first quarter, the Crusaders made only two afterward, as their inside game began to develop.
"Dexter's hard to score on inside," Sides said. "We did a good job posting up, better than the last time we played them. If we get it in there, we can score."
The Bearcats beat Saxony Lutheran 53-52 on Nov. 30 to win the SEMO Conference Tournament.
Saxony Lutheran won the junior varsity game 56-33.