Nov. 12 - Bearcat Arena (Maryville, Mo.)
Nebraska-Kearney vs. Minnesota Crookston, 5:30 p.m. | WATCH ON MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
Southwest Minn. St. at Northwest Missouri State, 7:30 p.m. | WATCH ON MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS

Nov. 13 - Bearcat Arena (Maryville, Mo.)
Southwest Minn. St. vs. Nebraska-Kearney, 5:30 p.m. | WATCH ON MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS
Minnesota Crookston at Northwest Missouri State, 7:30 p.m. | WATCH ON MIAA NETWORK | LIVE STATS

NORTHWEST OPENS REGULAR SEASON WITH CLASSIC
The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat women's basketball team will play host to a pair of opponents and four games in Bearcat Arena. Northwest will play Southwest Minnesota State (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) and Minnesota Crookston (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.). Nebraska-Kearney will also take on Minnesota Crookston (Friday, 5:30 p.m.) and Southwest Minnesota State (Saturday, 5:30 p.m.).

NORTHWEST VS SOUTHWEST MINN. ST
Northwest owns a 2-1 all-time record vs. Southwest Minnesota State. The teams last met in the 2012-13 season. All three matchups have taken place in Bearcat Arena.

Northwest Results vs. Southwest Minn. St.
W, 93-46 vs. Southwest Minn. St. (11/16/12)
W, 81-70 vs. Southwest Minn. St. (11/20/04)
L, 77-67 vs. Southwest Minn. St. (11/18/00)

NORTHWEST VS. MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Northwest and Minnesota Crookston will be meeting for the third time in four seasons. The Golden Eagles and Bearcats have split the previous two encounters. This will be the first meeting between the two in Bearcat Arena.

Northwest Results vs. Minnesota Crookston
W, 66-64 vs. Minnesota Crookston (11/9/19)
L, 79-71 vs. Minnesota Crookston (11/10/18)

BEARCATS SLOW DOWN WILLIAM WOODS
The Bearcats took care of William Woods University in an exhibition contest Saturday at Bearcat Arena, 70-35. Northwest locked in defensively from the start and limited WWU to 20.4% shooting from the field. WWU made only 10-of-49 shots from the field. Northwest allowed three made field goals in the second half as the Owls shot 3-of-28 from the field.

REHABBED AND READY
The Bearcats will return three key players from knee injuries.
    Redshirt-freshman Emma Atwood played and started the first four games in 2020-21. Through those four games, Atwood averaged 10.3 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, and 1.0 steals per game. She recorded a season-high 16 points in her final game at Lincoln on 7-of-10 shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds.
    Fifth-year senior Kylie Coleman returns after playing and starting nine games last season. Before her injury, she averaged 8.3 points per game including a season-high 17 points at Northeastern State on November 19. She also buried 16 3-pointers and was 43.2 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
    Sophomore Paityn Rau missed the entire 2020-21 season after starting 29 games and playing in all 30 games in her freshman campaign in 2019-20. Rau averaged 6.1 points per game on 47.9 percent shooting from the floor. She recorded a season-high 17 points at Fort Hays State in 25 mintues of play while she pulled down 12 rebounds against Nebraska-Kearney. She also totaled 23 blocks on the year.

RETURNING TALENT
Freshman Molly Hartnett was named the MIAA freshman of the year last season while senior Mallory McConkey joined Hartnett as an All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection.

Northwest's Top Returning Scorers
Mallory McConkey - 797 pts.
Kylie Coleman - 510 pts.
Molly Hartnett - 309 pts.
Jayna Green - 221 pts.
Paityn Rau - 184 pts.
Jillian Fleming - 84 pts.
Caely Kesten - 69 pts.
Emma Atwood - 41 pts.
Caitlyn Jordon - 9 pts.
Savannah Guenther - 7 pts.

MILESTONE WATCH
Fifth-year senior Mallory McConkey is edging close to 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. McConkey has posted 797 points and 472 rebounds in her career. She would be the 19th member of the 1,000 points/500 rebounds club. She would also be the 28th player to reach 1,000 points.

Northwest's 1,000 Points/500 Rebounds
1. Julie Chadwick (1978-81) - 1,269p/1,006r
2. Janet Clark (1986-89) - 2,121p/509r
3. Janet Cooksey (1975-78) - 1,198p/663r
4. Annie Coy (1995-98) - 1,240p/545r
5. Jodi Giles (1979-82) - 1,189p/702r
6. Christy Hudlemeyer (1983-87) - 1,048p/589r
7. Lisa Kenkel (1989-92) - 1,183p/624r
8. Diane Kloewer (1981-84) - 1,489p/686r
9. Kelly Leintz (1985-88) - 1,404p/710r
10. Sandy (Cummings) Nelson (1987-90) - 1,234p/531r
11. Patty Painter (1978-81) - 1,511p/733r
12. Marla Sapp (1982-85) - 1,445p/597r
13. Tember Schechinger (2013-16) - 1,050p/616r
14. Mandi Schumacher (2005-08) - 1,411p/763r
15. Denise Sump (1997-00) - 1,471 p/694r
16. Danae Wagner (1989-92) - 1,538p/726r
17. Mary Wiebke (1980-83) - 1,011p/517r
18. Tanya Meyer (2014-18) - 1,446p/694r

GREEN WORKING FOR BLOCKS
Sophomore Jayna Green entered into Northwest's top-10 all-time shot blockers last season. She registered 29 blocks as a freshman before notching 33 in 2020-21.

Northwest's Blocked Shots in a Career
1. Sarah Vollertsen (2002-04)     122
2. Shelby Mustain (2014-16)    107
3. Maggie Marnin (2011-15)    100
4. Gentry Dietz (2009-11)    99
4. Kyla Roehrig (2010-11)    99
6. Jenna Wolfe (2001-04)    94
7. Tember Schechinger (2013-16)    85
8. Lori Schneider (1986-89)    83
9. Jayna Green (2019-pres.)    62
10. Danae Wagner (1987-90)    58

COLEMAN CLOSES IN ON 3-POINT RECORD
Fifth-year senior Kylie Coleman could close in on the program's top-10 career three-pointers list. She has 95 total three-pointers in her career.

Northwest's Three-Pointers in a Career
1. Jaelyn Haggard (2017-21)     256
2. Kelli Nelson (2005-08)    202
3. Shelly Martin (2008-10)    170
4. Laura Friederich (2003-06)    163
5. Brooke Hogue (2002-04)    143
6. Mallory McAndrews (2015-19)    139
7. Tanya Meyer (2014-18)    132
8. Katie O'Grady, (2004-07)    125
9. Ashleigh Nelson (2011-2014)    121
10. Lauren Williams (20015-08)    106

MEYER INCREASES CONFERENCE WINS
Bearcat head coach Austin Meyer has increased his conference win totals in each of his three seasons as a head coach.

Northwest MIAA Win Totals
2011-12     4
2012-13    8
2013-14    7
2014-15    4
2015-16    3
2016-17    4
2017-18    4
2018-19    4
2019-20    6
2020-21    7

TOP FIVE IN FIVE
    Northwest ranked in the top five in five conference statistical categories as a team last season.
    The Bearcats were 1st for fewest turnovers (233), 2nd in three-point field goals made per game (7.3/game), 5th in scoring defense (59.7 pts/game), 5th in free throw percentage (74.6%), and 5th in blocked shots (80).

BEARCATS ATOP MIAA STATS
    Two Bearcat returners ranked in the top 15 in several statistical categories around the conference last season.
    Freshman Molly Hartnett was 10th in minutes played (712, 32.4/game), 12th in free throw percentage (76.8%), and 13th in both assists (59) and points per game (14.0 pts/game).
    Sophomore Jayna Green is fifth in the conference in blocks per game (1.6) after blocking 33 shots last seaons.

50 SEASONS STRONG
The Bearcats are playing in their 50th season as a program. The first women's basketball season was in 1971-72 when head coach Sherri Reeves led the 'Cats to a 9-2 record as MAIAW Champions. Northwest also finished 5th in the AIAW Region VI Tournament where they defeated Wayne (Neb.) State, 74-62, before falling to Kansas State, 70-66.

MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
The Bearcat women were picked ninth in both the MIAA coaches' poll and the media poll.
    Last season Northwest was picked ninth in the coaches' poll and finished ninth after losing three starters to season-ending injuries.

MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Fort Hays State    159 points
2. Central Missouri     154 points
3. Nebraska Kearney    153 points
4. Emporia State    136 points
5. Central Oklahoma    121 points
6. Washburn    106 points
7. Pittsburg State    94 points
8. Missouri Western    78 points
9. Missouri Southern    71 points
9. Northwest Missouri    71 points
11. Northeastern State    49 points
12. Rogers State    34 points
13. Lincoln    24 points
13. Newman    24 points

MIAA Preseason Media Poll
1. Central Missouri    118 points
1. Fort Hays State    118 points
3. Nebraska Kearney    112 points
4. Emporia State    98 points
5. Central Oklahoma    87 points
6. Washburn    72 points
7. Pittsburg State    70 points
8. Missouri Western    65 points
9. Northwest Missouri    62 points
10. Missouri Southern    49 points
11. Northeastern State    32 points
11. Rogers State    32 points
13. Newman    18 points
14. Lincoln    12 points