Box score (PDF)

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - The No. 10 seeded-Northwest Missouri State Bearcats women's basketball team took down the No. 7 seeded-Central Oklahoma Bronchos in the opening round of the 2020 MIAA Women's Basketball Championship Tournament, 71-67.

The Bearcats shot 43.8% from the field and 40.7% from behind the arc. Northwest was lights out from the free throw line making 20-of-22. Mallory McConkey and Jaelyn Haggard each went 7-of-7 from the charity stripe on the game. 

Northwest trailed 18-7 to begin the game but answered with an 18-0 run and would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way. Northwest would lead by as many as 12 points in the second half. Central Oklahoma narrowed the margin to one-point on two occasions in the final 1:16 but the Bearcats drained all eight of their free throws to salt away the victory.

This is the Bearcats first victory in Kansas City at the MIAA Tournament since 2011, when Northwest won its last MIAA Tournament Championship. 

Haggard led the Bearcats with 24 points on the game, on only 10 shots. Haggard went 5-of-9 from behind the arc. Her five three-pointers made give her 203 career three-pointers made, breaking the program record, formerly held by Kelli Nelson at 202. 

McConkey added 19 points and six rebounds. Jayna Green led the Bearcats with seven rebounds, Green added eight points and two blocked shots as well. Erika Schlosser led Northwest with four assists. 

Kelsey Johnson led the Bronchos with 22 points, and was followed by Jaci Littell with 11 points. Johnson added 10 rebounds to give herself a double-double on the day. Shatoya Bronson had six steals for Central Oklahoma.

The Bearcats advance to the quarterfinals and will play Emporia State at 2:15 p.m. in Kansas City at Municipal Auditorium.