COLUMBIA, Mo. — In a packed and energized in Silverthorne Arena, the Stephens Stars (RV) gave a gritty performance in their season opener on day two of the CoMo Classic but ultimately fell to Saint Mary, 67-60.

With an electric crowd behind them, the Stars jumped out strong as Taylor Norris set the tone early, draining a three-pointer in the opening minutes to bring fans to their feet. 

LaiJanique Perry-Ellis followed up with a steal and a coast-to-coast layup, putting Stephens ahead 11-10 at the end of the first quarter.

Saint Mary's defense tightened in the second quarter, forcing turnovers that slowed the Stars' momentum. The Spires had a brief lead, but Norris's jumper kept the game close, with the Stars trailing by just one at halftime, 25-24.

The third quarter saw Saint Mary pull ahead briefly knocking down another key three-pointer from the wing, extending their lead. 

The Stars fought back hard, as Farmer hit from downtown, cutting the deficit to two. The crowd roared when Norris found Perry-Ellis on a fast break for a layup, energizing the home bench as Stephens kept within striking distance.

In the final minutes, the Stars rallied to close the gap. Norris nailed a jumper with under a minute remaining to bring the Stars within three, but after a critical turnover on an inbound play, Saint Mary capitalized on free throws to secure their win.

The Stars showed tenacity in front of a supportive home crowd. They will look to bounce back on Friday, Nov. 8, as they travel to Hillsboro, Kan., for the first game of a two-day tournament at Tabor College.