WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team saw its win streak snapped at seven as the University of Central Missouri Jennies scored a 60-57 victory over the Bearcats.
 
UCM improved to 6-4 overall and 2-1 in MIAA play, while Northwest fell to 7-2 overall and 3-1 in league action.
 
Northwest held the lead for the majority of the first quarter after jumping out to a 4-0 advantage. Northwest held an 11-6 lead with 2:50 to play in the quarter. Central Missouri used an 8-2 run to take a 14-13 lead after the first 10 minutes.
 
The Jennies scored the first four points of the second quarter before the Bearcats hit the home squad with a 13-0 spurt. Jillian Fleming knocked in a trio of three-pointers in the quarter that left the Bearcats holding a 28-25 at the intermission. Fleming dropped in nine first-half points as she drained 3-of-5 shots from distance.
 
UCM took a 33-30 lead into the third-quarter media timeout. However, Northwest's Molly Hartnett hit a free throw and drained a three-pointer to put the Bearcats back on top, 34-33 with 3:19 to play. The contest was tied at 39-39 when Hartnett sank two more free throws with 1:09 left. UCM would lead 44-41 at the conclusion of three quarters.
 
The Jennies extended their lead to eight at 52-44 with 6:42 to play. Northwest head coach Austin Meyer took a timeout as the Bearcats looked to stage a comeback. Hartnett drained a triple out of the timeout to trim the lead to five. Fleming sank a jumper in the lane to get the Bearcats to within three at 52-49 with 5:18 to play. The Jennies took a six-point lead at 55-49 on a pair of free throws with 3:08 left. Northwest's Peyton Kelderman made her first three-pointer of the game with 1:32 to play to slice the lead in half at 55-52.
 
Northwest's Mallory McConkey buried a triple with :04 remaining to cut the lead to two. UCM's Ali Vigil made one of three throws to push the advantage back to three. Hartnett's three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark and the Jennies claimed the three-point victory, 60-57.
 
Northwest will wrap up non-conference play Wednesday at home against McKendree. Tip is set for 6 p.m. at Bearcat Arena.
 
NOTES: Molly Hartnett led Northwest in scoring with 17 points … Mallory McConkey chipped in with 15 points … Jillian Fleming notched a career-high 14 points … UCM had two players reach double figures in Nija Collier (25 points) and Brooke Littrell (18 points) … UCM went 6-of-11 from three-point range, while Northwest made 10-of-22 from distance … UCM enjoyed an advantage at the free throw line by making 20-of-25 free throws … Northwest made 7-of-11 free throws … UCM won the rebounding battle, 30-24.