Northwest Missouri State Athletics

BOX SCORE (PDF)

ST. JOSEPH, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team scored the program's first win at Missouri Western for the first time since Feb. 12, 2011, with a 51-50 nail-biting triumph over the Griffons on Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.
 
Freshman Molly Hartnett's layup with 2.4 seconds left gave Northwest its first lead of the second half and lifted the Bearcats to 3-2 on the season. Hartnett led all scorers with 18 in the contest and she poured in eight points in the fourth quarter alone. Hartnett's bucket gave Northwest its first lead since 2-0 to start the game.

Senior Jaelyn Haggard's three-point field goal with :42.3 remaining cut the Missouri Western lead to 50-49. The Bearcat defense came away with a stop on the Griffons's ensuing possession. Head coach Austin Meyer called timeout and the Bearcats inbounded in the front court. Hartnett then used a screen to work her way to the basket for the game winner. Missouri Western took a timeout and advanced the ball to half court. Northwest's Kylie Coleman corralled a loose ball and ran out the clock for the Bearcat victory.
 
The Griffons jumped out to a 12-5 lead with 3:47 left in the first quarter. However, the Bearcats closed the quarter on a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to 14-12 at the end of the first.
 
The Bearcat defense locked in during the second period and limited the Griffons to only two made field goals in the final 6:45. Northwest knotted the contest up at 20-20 on a Mallory McConkey three-pointer with 3:12 left in the half. Molly Hartnett evened it up again at 22-22 on a driving shot with 25 second left before intermission. The Griffons Mychaell Gray hit a shot with :06 left to give the home squad a two-point cushion at the break.
 
The Griffons used an 11-2 run to turn a 26-26 tie into a 37-28 advantage with 5:20 remaining in the third quarter. Northwest responded with a 7-0 run to narrow the Missouri Western lead to two at 37-35 following a pair of McConkey free throws. The Bearcats finished off a 10-2 run to end the quarter with the Griffons holding a 39-38 lead.
 
The Bearcat women will return to action Thursday against the Missouri Southern Lions. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m. in Joplin, Missouri.

NOTES: Hartnett (18 points) and Coleman (14 points) led the Bearcats in scoring ... Northwest shot 50% in the fourth quarter (5-of-10 FGs) ... both teams shot 37.5% from the field with each squad making 18-of-48 shots ... Northwest drained 9-of-10 free throws, while Missouri Western made 11-of-17 at the foul line ... the Bearcats sank six three-pointers, while the Griffons drained only three triples ... Northwest committed only six turnovers, while Missouri Western was credited with 13 turnovers.