The Fulton Lady Hornets never quite got out of the gates. The Eldon Lady Mustangs didn't have such an issue.
Fulton fell behind 20-4 after one quarter and never recovered in being roughed up by Eldon 58-28 on Tuesday night.
The Lady Hornets - who have now lost three straight after opening the season 2-0 - went into halftime down 37-13 and trailed 55-21 at the start of the fourth quarter.
"Once again, it was a slow start," Fulton head coach TJ Quick said. "We came out flat and they had 10 points off the bat, and we let outside things bother us.
"We have to learn to play our game and not let other things distract us."
Sophomore guard Sloane Totta guided the Lady Hornets with nine points. Sara Rhine led Eldon with a game-high 27 points.
Fulton opens North Central Missouri Conference play at home against Kirksville at 6 p.m. Thursday at Roger D. Davis Gymnasium. There will not be a junior varsity game.
"We just want to come out and play well," Quick said. "... I don't care if we win or lose, we just want to get back to playing Hornet basketball and we have between now and Thursday to figure it out."