The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team fell to the No. 5 Missouri Southern State Lions, 52-37.
 
Northwest got off to a slow start scoring just six points in the first quarter. Evelyn Vazquez tallied four steals and four points in the first ten minutes of play, but the Lions took a 20-6 lead into second quarter action.
 
At the half, MSSU led Northwest 31-21. The Bearcats were able to close in on the Missouri Southern lead as they outscored the Lions 15-11 in the second quarter. Northwest knocked down three three-pointers in the quarter, two coming from Jayna Green and one from Molly Hartnett, to close in on the MSSU lead.
 
Both teams were knotted at 21 rebounds apiece after the first half. Despite only shooting 26.7 percent from the field in the half, Northwest was able to stay in the game by forcing six steals and getting the Lions into a bit of early foul trouble.
 
Just two minutes into the third quarter Northwest had cut the MSSU lead to six at 31-25. Missouri Southern would then go on a 15-5 run and end the quarter with a 16 point lead, 46-30.
 
After four quarters, Northwest fell to No. 5 Missouri Southern, 52-37.
 
Northwest was led in scoring by Evelyn Vazquez and Molly Hartnett who each finished with nine points. Vazquez added four steals and two assists. Jayna Green scored eight points and tallied three rebounds. Kelsey Fields had a team-high seven rebounds, four of them offensive, and Emma Atwood recorded six rebounds, four points, and one steal.
 
The Bearcats won the rebounding battle 43 to 34, 12 of which were on the offensive end. Northwest scored 18 points in the paint and converted 10 points off of MSSU's 11 turnovers.
 
Northwest drops to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
 
The Bearcats look to bounce back Saturday, Dec. 3, at 1:30 p.m. against Pittsburg State.