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By David Boyce

MARYVILLE, Mo. - A cold start to the game and a cold start to begin the fourth quarter doomed the Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team in a 72-58 loss to Missouri Western Tuesday evening at Bearcat Arena.
 
"The biggest thing I told them in practice the last couple of days is to beat this team, you have to match their physicality," Northwest coach Buck Scheel said. "It was pretty evident at the start of the game and even more so at the start of the fourth quarter, that we didn't do that.
 
"We dug ourselves a hole right from the start and we could never get out of it. We could never match their physicality and a team like them, a rivalry game, you have to. That's how they play."
 
Northwest went over 4 minutes without scoring at the start of the first quarter and that led to an 8-0 deficit. Western went on a 7-2 run to start the fourth quarter and that put the Bearcats behind 66-51.
 
Consecutive baskets by junior Tanya Meyer got the Bearcats back on track. Arbrie Benson followed with two free throws. The 6-0 run put the Bearcats down 66-57 with 3:45.
 
Meyer was the spark plug for Northwest all game. She missed last week's game because of an injured ankle. Meyer didn't start against Western, but when she entered the game, she made her presence felt. She scored 16 points in the first half  and finished with 31 points.
 
"For her to come back from the ankle injury was great, but individual positives can only get us so far," Scheel said. "Everybody has to be dialed in, locked in to get wins."
 
Northwest started the game cold. At one point the deficit grew to 19-6 late in the first quarter. But back-to-back three-pointers by Meyer to close out the quarter got the Bearcats rolling.
 
"The last couple of practices I have been pretty limited," Meyer said. "It felt pretty good to be back out there with my team. I wish we would have got the win. We just didn't start off strong at all. That is what really hurt us tonight.
 
"If we would have start off with us punching them in the nose instead of the opposite, we would have come out on top."
 
Northwest did fight back and eventually tied the game at 23-23 with 6:03 left and then the Bearcats struggled again to score.
 
Western grew its lead to 36-27 late in the second quarter. It was just enough time for Northwest to go on a mini spurt and close to 38-34 at halftime. A second three-pointer by sophomore Mallory McAndrews were the final three points of the half for the Bearcats.
 
"The past couple of weeks, I have been shooting a lot more after practice and I am getting a little more confident," McAndrews, who made two three-pointers in the first half. "Just having coach and the other girls believe in me helps a lot."
 
The only thing that kept Northwest from having a halftime lead was the poor start offensively. The Bearcats shot 35.7 percent from the field in the first half and 71.4 percent in the second quarter, going 10 for 14 from the field.