Lady Bears Defeat Sam Houston in Key Conference Matchup

Lainie Douglas leads Missouri State with 20 points in 60-55 victory

Feb. 25, 2026 at 10:33am

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The Missouri State Lady Bears women's basketball team defeated the Sam Houston Bearkats 60-55 in a key conference matchup on Tuesday night. Lainie Douglas led the way for the Lady Bears with 20 points, while Maiesha Washington added 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. Missouri State led for nearly the entire game, building a double-digit lead in the first half before holding off a late Sam Houston rally to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This win keeps the Lady Bears in contention for a top spot in the conference standings, as both teams entered the game with 9-6 conference records. The Lady Bears have now won two straight games and are finding their rhythm heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

The details

Missouri State jumped out to an early lead, with Douglas scoring the team's first six points. The Lady Bears maintained a lead of around 6-8 points throughout the second quarter before closing the half on a 7-2 run to take a 35-24 advantage into the break. In the second half, the Lady Bears extended their lead to as many as 17 points before Sam Houston made a late push, cutting the deficit to four in the final minute. However, Missouri State was able to hit some free throws down the stretch to seal the 60-55 victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Missouri.

The players

Lainie Douglas

A key player for the Missouri State Lady Bears, Lainie Douglas led the team with 20 points and 6 rebounds in the victory.

Maiesha Washington

Maiesha Washington, the Lady Bears' post player, scored 13 points and led the team in rebounds (9) and assists (4).

Missouri State Lady Bears

The Missouri State women's basketball team, who improved their conference record to 9-6 with the win.

Sam Houston Bearkats

The Sam Houston women's basketball team, who entered the game with the same 9-6 conference record as Missouri State.

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What they’re saying

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— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

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— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

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