DEXTER -- Chaylea Mosby's big night helped the Dexter Bearcats overcome early foul trouble and end Poplar Bluff's hopes of earning a share of the SEMO Conference championship.
Mosby scored a school-record 49 points Monday night, and the Bearcats routed the Mules 83-54 at the Bearcat Event Center.
Mosby became aware of her shot at the record in the third quarter. She had 38 points after three and the record was 46.
"When I came in this morning and shot, I was hitting a lot of my shots," Mosby said. "I didn't know how that would carry over to the game."
Mosby tied the record with two free throws in the fourth quarter and broke it with a foul shot with 3:40 to play.
The Mules (14-9) fell to 4-2 in conference play and out of a second-place tie in the conference standings.
First-place Saxony Lutheran leads the conference race with a 6-0 record and can win the title outright with a victory over Jackson on Tuesday night.
The Bearcats (19-4) improved to 5-1 in league play, losing to Saxony, meaning only Jackson can take the title away from the Crusaders.
Mosby's big night proved necessary for the Bearcats who had two starters sitting on the bench for much of the first half. Maycie Martin drew her third foul in the first quarter, and Keirstan Keirsey was called for her third in the second.
"We were definitely in extreme foul trouble in that first half," Dexter coach Chad Allen said. "I tell you what, we really turned it on in the second half. Chaylea Mosby, wow, just an incredible night, putting up (49). She's just a tremendous scorer."
The Bearcats outscored Poplar Bluff 48-22 in the second half to take control of the game.
Mosby's hot hand was evident in the first quarter when she scored 14 points, helping the Bearcats build a 17-6 lead.
The Mules rallied from the free-throw line in the second quarter, making 11 of 12 shots.
Kiley Bess went 7 for 7 from the foul stripe and scored 11 of her team-high 21 points in the second quarter. Shelby Sievers scored eight of her 12 in the second where the Mules held a 26-18 scoring advantage.
The Mules put together a 17-2 run in which Coach Allen was issued two technical fouls within seconds of each other.
With her team trailing 22-10, Sievers sparked the run with basket from the baseline, Katie Pattillo made two free throws and Bess scored on a driving layup following a steal by Sierra Sievers to slice Dexter's lead to 22-16.
Rylee Allen made two free throws to snap the Mules' 6-0 run, but Bess followed with five straight free throws, and Shelby Sievers cashed in on the ensuing possession following Coach Allen's second technical, trimming Dexter's lead to 24-23.
Bess followed with a basket after a Dexter turnover and made two free throws to give the Mules a 27-24 lead.
"We were awfully passive to start with, not going after loose balls," Poplar Bluff coach John David Pattillo said. "We finally got a little more aggressive, just didn't let them have what they wanted. Finally got going. Got to the basket a little bit. Got them in foul trouble, so it allowed us to get to the line a little bit."
The Bearcats regained the momentum before halftime. Maci McBride's 3-pointer tied the score at 27, and Mosby followed with one of her seven 3-pointers to give them a 30-27 lead.
Another McBride 3-pointer and a driving layup by Mosby extended Dexter's lead to 35-29, but Hannah Bass made a 3-pointer, trimming the Mules' deficit to 35-32 at halftime.
"(Chaylea) stepped up in a big way but (it wasn't) only her. Maci McBride hit five 3s," Allen said. "She's been getting in the gym and spending a little more time shooting. It paid off tonight."
McBride finished with 15 points.
The Bearcats opened the second half with a 20-3 run fueled by 15 points and an assist by Mosby.
"It's one of those deals where we got some young ones out there, trying to learn on the fly," Coach Pattillo said. "We're really missing the one that's hurt (senior Doni Everts who missed her second-straight game), but you know Dexter really plays hard all the time. Chaylea plays hard and she sets the tone for them. They're really good and they do a good job. We're still trying to figure things out."
Poplar Bluff won the junior varsity game 50-45.