First Round - MIAA Women's Basketball Tournament
Wednesday, March 1
Northwest Missouri State vs. Newman
6:00 p.m. | Municipal Auditorium
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Tickets:
Tickets are available for purchase at all MIAA campus box offices, the Municipal Box Office, and at the Ticketmaster link here.  
Single Session: Students $10, Adults $20
All-Tournament Passes: Ticketmaster - $75, On Campus - $50
 
The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team is set to compete in the first round of the MIAA Tournament Wednesday, March 1 against Newman. The Bearcats drew the No. 8 seed with a conference record of 9-13 while the Newman Jets drew the No. 9 seed with an MIAA record of 7-15.
 
Northwest is 4-0 in the all-time series against the Jets including a win at Newman Jan. 14 of this year by a score of 67-53.
 
About Northwest
In 28 games played this season, Northwest is averaging 62.4 points per game. Northwest has the fifth best defense in the conference as its opponents average 60.3 points per game. The Bearcats are shooting 39.4% from the field, 32.3% from beyond the arc, and 70.6% from the free throw line.
 
About Newman
Newman is ninth in the conference in offense putting up 64.3 points per game and is 12th in defense allowing 71.6 points per game. As a team the Jets are shooting 39.6% from the field, 35.9% from three, and 69.5% from the free throw line.
 
Newman has the third best scorer in the MIAA this season with Britney Ho averaging 17.5 points per game. Ho posted 24 points against Northwest earlier this season. Newman also has a three-point sharpshooter with Carissa Beck averaging 1.9 threes per game at a clip of 43.3%. Beck was held to just one made three against the Bearcats. She has sank 52-of-120 three-point attempts this season.
 
'CATS EARN 3RD MIAA TOURNEY BID IN 4 YEARS
Northwest has earned its third appearance at the MIAA tournament in the past four years. No. 8-seeded Northwest will be playing in the first round against No. 9-seeded Newman March 1 at 6:00 p.m.
 
In the program's 27 MIAA Tournament appearances the team is 16-24 with three tournament championships. The Bearcats won the conference tournament in 2004, 2008, and 2011.
 
If the Bearcats can get a fifth straight win over Newman, they will advance to the quarterfinals where they will face No. 1-seeded Nebraska-Kearney.  UNK does have the season sweep against Northwest, but in the most recent meeting in Kearney Jan. 26, the Bearcats lost by just one point. UNK was ranked No. 13 nationally in that matchup.
 
If Northwest can pull off the upset against the No. 1 seed, they will advance to the semifinals Saturday, March 4, to face the winner of No. 4 Pittsburg State and No. 5 Missouri Southern. If the 'Cats keep the run alive, they will then move on to the championship to face the winner of the other side of the bracket.
 
2023 MIAA TOURNAMENT SEEDING
1 - Nebraska-Kearney (20-2)
2 - Central Missouri (19-3)
3 - Missouri Western (18-4)
4 - Pittsburg State (17-5)
5 - Missouri Southern (16-6)
6 - Fort Hays State (14-8)
7 - Emporia State (9-13)
8 - Northwest Missouri (9-13)
9 - Newman (7-15)
10 - Central Oklahoma (7-15)
 
MIAA Tournament By The Numbers
In first round games Northwest is 2-2 overall. Under Meyer, the team has made it past the first round once which came in the 2020 tournament. The team then lost in the quarterfinals the following day. The 'Cats did not have a first round game last year as the team was a No. 6 seed. However, Northwest lost in the quarterfinals to No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney by a score of 52-47. In that game, Northwest nearly rallied back from a 19-point deficit with five minutes to go in the third quarter, but the comeback came up just short.
 
As a No. 8 seed, Northwest is 0-2 in the tournament. When playing a No. 9 seed, Northwest is 0-1. The Bearcats are 7-12 in the quarterfinals, 4-9 in the semifinals, and 3-1 in championship games. Northwest is 1-1 in overtime games.
 
Northwest has not made it past the quarterfinals since the 2011 season, which is also the same year the team won the tournament and made it all the way to the NCAA Final Four.
 
Austin Meyer is one of five MIAA coaches that has also played in the tournament as he played eight MIAA Tournament games from 2003-06 for the Northwest men.
 
ALL-MIAA ACCOLADES
Junior  Jayna Green earned a spot on the MIAA All-Defensive Team, sophomore guard Molly Hartnett earned third-team All-MIAA status, and sophomore forward Kelsey Fields earned an honorable mention All-MIAA selection.
 
NORTHWEST AS A TEAM
The Bearcats ended the regular season tied for seventh in the conference with Emporia, but with ESU getting the season sweep against the 'Cats, the Hornets got the No. 7 seed in the MIAA Tournament and Northwest got the No. 8 seed. The Bearcats finished with a conference record of 9-13. Northwest is fifth in the league in defense allowing 60.3 points per game, and 11th in offense putting up 62.4 points per game.
 
HARTNETT STAYING STRONG OFFENSIVELY
Sophomore guard Molly Hartnett is averaging 13.6 ppg so far this season. She is currently No. 12 in the MIAA in points per game. This is the third straight season Hartnett has averaged double figures in the scoring column. Hartnett scored a season high 24 points against Northeastern State.
 
She ranks No. 7 in Div. II in free throw percentage at 91.3%. Hartnett is No. 1 in the MIAA in free throw percentage as she has made 95-of-104 attempts.
 
Hartnett has handed out a team-high 85 assists on the year. She has dished out five or more assists in six games so far this season. She surpassed 200 career assists in the win at RSU Feb. 9.
 
FIELDS SETTING CAREER-HIGHS
Kelsey Fields had a career-high 18 boards in Northwest's game against Northeastern State Feb. 11. On Jan. 21 when Northwest played Lincoln, Fields had 20 points and 16 rebounds. The last time a Northwest player had a 20 point 15 rebound game was Tanya Meyer back in the 2017-18 season. Meyer had 21 points and 18 rebounds against Henderson State Nov. 11, 2017.
 
PK FOR THREE
Sophomore guard Peyton Kelderman has knocked in at least one three-pointer in 20 of Northwest's 28 games this season. She has sank a team-best 47 three-pointers and is shooting 35.1% from beyond the arc. Kelderman is No. 12 in the MIAA in three-pointers made per game (1.7). Kelderman tied her career-high in three-pointers made in a game with five against Northeastern State Feb. 11.
 
VAZQUEZ RACKING UP STEALS
Sophomore guard Evelyn Vazquez had 26 steals during the 2021-22 season. Vazquez has 39 steals so far this season. Vazquez had a season-high seven steals in a 75-61 win against Peru State Nov. 27, 2022. She ranks No. 6 in the MIAA in steals as she averages 2.1 per game.
 
GREEN SETS SEASON HIGH IN O-BOARDS
Jayna Green has set a new personal season-high for offensive rebounds in a season with 43. Green had 29 during the 2020-21 season.
 
ATWOOD GETTING GOING
Emma Atwood has posted 10 or more points in three of the last five games for the Bearcats. Atwood is averaging 8.2 points in those games as well as 9.4 rebounds.
 
KESTEN ON OFFENSE
In the last five games for Northwest, Caely Kesten is averaging 11.4 points per contest. In those games, she is shooting 50% from beyond the arc making 11-of-22 attempts.
 
LINDSEY FROM BEYOND THE ARC
Lindsey Kelderman was a perfect 7-for-7 from three in the victory against UCO Feb. 24, and she is the only Div. II player to make more than 6-of-6 from three in a game this season. She set a career high with 25 points as well as three-pointers made in a game with seven.
 
Kelderman tied the Northwest record for three-point field goal percentage in a game (min. 5 FG made) going 7-for-7 for 100%. She ties Erika Schlosser's mark of 100% when she went 5-for-5 Nov. 24, 2018.
 
HARTNETT JOINS 1,000 POINT CLUB
Sophomore guard Molly Hartnett recorded her 1,000th career point in a Bearcat uniform this past Saturday at Missouri Western. She became the 29th Bearcat to reach this milestone. The most recent women's basketball player to reach this mark prior to Hartnett was Mallory McConkey Jan. 27, 2022.
 
TOP FIVE SCORERS THIS SEASON
Molly Hartnett - 13.6 ppg
Kelsey Fields - 7.8 ppg
Peyton Kelderman - 6.6 ppg
Evelyn Vazquez - 6.1 ppg
Jayna Green - 6.0 ppg
 
Double-Digit Scoring Performances This Season
Molly Hartnett – 20
Peyton Kelderman – 9
Kelsey Fields – 7
Emma Atwood – 5
Caely Kesten - 5
Evelyn Vazquez – 4
Jayna Green – 3
Lindsey Kelderman - 3
Ella Moody - 2
Jillian Fleming – 1
Lauren Gillig - 1
Lauren Eiman - 1
 
Career Double-Digit Scoring Performances
Molly Hartnett - 51
Peyton Kelderman - 22
Paityn Rau - 13
Jayna Green - 10
Kelsey Fields - 9
Emma Atwood - 8
Evelyn Vazquez - 6
Jillian Fleming - 5
Caely Kesten - 6
Lindsey Kelderman - 3
Ella Moody - 2
Lauren Eiman - 1
Lauren Gillig - 1
 
Career 20-point Scoring Performances
Molly Hartnett - 12
Lindsey Kelderman - 1
Jayna Green - 1
Kelsey Fields – 1
 
Double-Doubles This Season
Kelsey Fields - 5
 
FIELDS ON THE GLASS
Kelsey Fields has grabbed 266 rebounds this season which now puts her at No. 6 in the school record book for rebounds in a season.
 
Rebounds in a Season
1. - Kyla Roehrig, 2011 - 391
2. - Trish Van Oosbree, 1976 - 300
3. - Kelly Leintz, 1987 - 296
4. - Trish Van Oosbree, 1975 - 295
5. - Julie Chadwick, 1981 - 273
6. - Kelsey Fields, 2023 – 266
7. - Paty Painter, 1980 - 259
8. - Diane Kloewer, 1984 - 258
9. - Julie Chadwick, 1979 - 252
10. - Mandi Schumacher, 2008 - 251
- Betty Grieser, 1978 – 251
 
NORTHWEST IN MIAA STATISTICAL CATEGORIES
Rebounding:
Kelsey Fields ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in rebounding. Fields averages 9.5 rebounds per game and leads the conference with 101 offensive rebounds.
Free Throws:
Molly Hartnett ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in free-throw percentage (91.3%), draining 95-of-104 attempts.
Three-pointers:
Peyton Kelderman is No. 12 in three-pointers made per
game (1.7).
Steals:
Evelyn Vazquez is No. 6 in the MIAA in steals with 2.1 per
game and 36 total steals.
Blocks:
Jayna Green ranks No. 7 in blocks with 1.2 per game.
Assists:
Molly Hartnett is No. 6 in assist to turnover ratio (1.8).
Scoring:
Molly Hartnett ranks No. 12 in points per game at 13.6.
 
Northwest's Top Returning Scorers
Molly Hartnett - 1,029 pts.
Jayna Green - 514 pts.
Peyton Kelderman - 432 pts.
Kelsey Fields - 348 pts.
Paityn Rau - 308 pts.
Caely Kesten - 287 pts.
Jillian Fleming - 262 pts.
Evelyn Vazquez - 259 pts.
Emma Atwood - 220 pts.
 
KELDERMAN CLOSES IN ON 3-POINT CHART
Sophomore shooting guard Peyton Kelderman has drained 104 three-pointers so far in her Bearcat career. Kelderman had 57 made three's last season and has 47 makes so far this season. She needs just 2 more to tie her for tenth place on the career record list.
 
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, 2005-08 – 106
 
HARTNETT NEARING CAREER ASSIST RECORD LIST
Sophomore Molly Hartnett surpassed 200 career assists in a win at Rogers State Feb. 9. Hartnett now has 218 career assists and is 36 away from tying the No. 10 spot in the record book for assists in a career at 254.
 
Assists in a Career
1. Pam Cummings, 1995-98 - 822
2. Sandy (Cummings) Nelson, 1987-90 - 598
3. Kim Scamman, 1983-86 - 554
4. Julie Schmitz, 1976-79 - 454
5. Monica Booth, 1980-83 - 378
6. Janet Clark, 1986-89 - 320
7. Marla Sapp, 1982-85 - 302
8. Shelly Jermain, 1991-94 - 298
9. Patty Painter, 1978-81 - 287
10. Lisa Kenkel, 1990-92 - 254
 
GREEN SURPASSES 500 CAREER REBOUNDS
Jayna Green recorded her 500th career rebound at Northeastern State Feb. 11. She now has 521 career rebounds as a Bearcat.
 
GREEN SETS CAREER BLOCK RECORD AT NORTHWEST
Junior 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. Green blocked 43 shots last season, which was good for the No. 3 spot in the MIAA. In Northwest's game at Newman, Green recorded her 123rd career block to make her the all-time block leader in school history.
 
Blocked Shots in a Career
1. Jayna Green, 2019-pres - 138
2. Sarah Vollertsen, 2002-04 - 122
3. Shelby Mustain, 2014-16 - 107
4. Maggie Marnin, 2011-15 - 100
5. Gentry Dietz, 2009-11 - 99
6. Kyla Roehrig, 2010-11 - 99
7. Jenna Wolfe, 2001-04 - 94
8. Tember Schechinger, 2013-16 - 85
9. Lori Schneider, 1986-89 - 83
10. Danae Wagner, 1987-90 – 58