The schedule shifted gears in January, and the Marshalltown girls’ basketball team hasn’t been able to accelerate with it.

The Bobcats suffered their fourth loss in five games since the turn of the calendar, again playing shorthanded in a 45-26 loss to Des Moines Roosevelt on Friday night at the Roundhouse.

The visiting Roughriders (10-4) made seven 3-pointers and frustrated Marshalltown with their aggressive defense, gradually pulling away as exhaustion took its toll on the Bobcats (8-5).

Playing without their first substitute off the bench, Marshalltown sustained its first loss to a Des Moines Public school in five games despite a spirited first half performance.

“That’s kind of the way it’s been going,” MHS head coach Brian Murphy said of his diminished lineup. “Morgan (Hilderbrand) is obviously out, she got a concussion at North, so she was out and that doesn’t help.

“We’re getting closer and closer to the bumps and bruises stage as opposed to the illness stage.”

Still recuperating from a wave of sickness that has strickened them, the Bobcats were within striking distance at halftime, 26-17. But a one-point third quarter was the obstacle they couldn’t overcome on this night.

Roosevelt only scored eight points in the third, but the deficit grew to 16 and Marshalltown couldn’t manage to rally up a comeback in its condition.

“I was really pleased and proud of our effort tonight,” Murphy said. “I thought they were really locked in on the scout where every single person was doing what we had asked. We held them almost 10 points below their average.”

Roosevelt knocked down seven 3-pointers in the win, led by Keke Walker’s four treys and 16 points. Seven other Roughriders contributed in the scoring column as Class 5A’s second-ranked defense (34.67 points allowed per game) couldn’t muster up enough stops to give its offense a chance to catch up.

The Bobcats, too, were held 12 points shy of their season average.

Millie Heitmann led Marshalltown with nine points to go with five rebounds and four assists. Jorja Janssen scored all of her eight points in the first half and she chipped in with three steals.

Frankie Long got five points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots, and Amairra Johnson pitched in with three points and five steals.

“I think the thing that I see a lot from us is we are not scoring on balance where there’s contact,” Murphy said. “We’re not being award free throws we don’t always look like we’re under control and they’re not going to bail people out. It’s a fine line to attack aggressively but always look like you’re under control.”

The Bobcats are on the road for their next four games starting Tuesday night at Mason City. Marshalltown won its first meeting with the Riverhawks 46-26.

“The first time we played them, they were not in full health,” Murphy said. “We probably won’t be. But if we play defensively the way we did tonight, I love our chances.”

Des Moines Roosevelt 45, Marshalltown 26

DM ROOSEVELT (10-4) — Fatima Ali 2 1-1 6, Malaina Hackley 1 2-3 4, Kenna Ledinsky 2 2-2 8, Keke Walker 5 2-2 16, Jaleah Lee 1 0-0 2, Savanna Kual 1 0-0 2, Hoda Mohamed 0 0-0 0, Judy Bokhary 2 0-0 4, Tess Ryan 0 0-0 0, Goamar Bilim 1 1-1 3, Jaeliah Rhone 0 0-0 0, DiAuria Thedford 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 15 8-9 45.

MARSHALLTOWN (8-5) — Amairra Johnson 1 1-2 3, Kinsley Bowie 0 1-2 1, Millie Heitmann 4 1-2 9, Jorja Janssen 3 0-0 8, Frankie Long 2 1-2 5, Kendall Brummel 0 0-0 0, Mallory Meyeraan 0 0-0 0, Keira Halsted 0 0-0 0, Melanie Fernandez Tadeo 0 0-0 0, Avery Buschbom 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 10 4-8 26.

DM ROOS 12 14 8 11 — 45

MHS 5 12 1 8 — 26

3-Point Goals–Roosevelt 7 (Walker 4, Ledinsky 2, Ali), MHS 2 (Janssen 2). Team Fouls–Roosevelt 11, MHS 11. Fouled Out–none.