FARMINGTON, Mo. -- The eighth-ranked Dexter Bearcats made 12 3-pointers to overcome a shaky performance inside and beat Farmington 74-68 Thursday night to win their fifth straight game.
The Bearcats shot only 38 percent (13 of 34) from inside the arc but made 43 percent of their baskets from outside to improve to 11-2. They made 12 of 14 free throws, including eight for eight in the fourth quarter.
"Farmington gave us a tough game tonight," Dexter assistant coach Eric Sitze said. "We struggled defensively and offensively that second quarter."
Dexter sank seven first-quarter 3-pointers, including three by Hannah Thurmon, to take a 24-16 lead into the second. Natalie Sitze made two of her four 3-pointers in the opening quarter and finished with 12 points.
The Knights scored eight straight points in the second quarter to take a 34-26 advantage -- the Knights' largest lead of the game -- before Chaylea Mosby, who scored a game-high 26 points, stopped the run with Dexter's only 3-pointer of the quarter.
The Knights took a 37-32 lead into halftime.
The Bearcats made eight 3-pointers in the first half compared to only three from inside the arc where they shot only 21 percent.
Farmington, which went 5 for 6 from 3-point range in the first half, maintained the lead for most of the third quarter before Thurmon, who finished with 21 points, made two free throws to give the Bearcats a 54-52 lead, their first advantage since 24-23 early in the second.
After Farmington tied the score at 54 on two free throws by Virginia Lugo, Mosby scored for the lead, and Alexa Werneck converted a rare basket from the paint to give the Bearcats a 58-54 lead entering the final frame.
The Bearcats never trailed in the fourth quarter, although Farmington used a 9-0 run to tie the score at 68. However, the Bearcats closed the game with a 6-0 run that included two free throws each by Mosby and Maycie Martin.
"The girls hung in there and battled through it the second half," Coach Sitze said. "We scored tonight -- just didn't guard like we wanted to. We will watch some video and learn from it."
Allyson Tucker paced Farmington with 20 points. Macey Pauls added 17, Rachel Rothlisberger 11 and Zoe Johns 10 for the Knights, who fell to 7-5.
Dexter head coach Chad Allen missed the game because he is recovering from an unspecified surgery. Keirsten Keirsey did not play because of an injury.
The Bearcats will host Kennett on Monday in their first home game of the season.