The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball squad overcame a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to defeat the Rogers State Hillcats, 61-50.
 
Northwest improves to 12-11 overall and 7-10 in MIAA action.
 
The Bearcats led Rogers State 7-6 at the first media timeout of the night. The Hillcats then took the lead with just under four minutes to go in the quarter and held onto it as they led 15-12 after one quarter of play.
 
Peyton Kelderman tied the game up at 15-15 in the Bearcats first possession of the second quarter with her second three pointer of the night. Rogers State then went on a 7-0 run to force a Northwest timeout with the score at 22-15 in favor of the Hillcats. Lauren Eiman snapped the scoring run with a hook shot in the lane.

Northwest struggled from the field shooting just 27.3% in the second quarter as the team connected on just three shot attempts. RSU outscored the 'Cats 15-7 in the quarter as the Hillcats increased the lead to 30-19 at the halftime break.
 
Peyton Kelderman was the only Bearcat with more than one made field goal as she hit two three-pointers to give her six points in first half action. Kelsey Fields tallied six rebounds.
 
Northwest shot 30.8% from the field in the first half while the Hillcats shot 54.5%. Both teams had grabbed 13 rebounds, seven of which were on the offensive end for the 'Cats. Northwest forced Rogers State into eight turnovers in the first twenty minutes of play and scored six points off the turnovers.
 
Rogers State scored the first three points of the third quarter, but Molly Hartnett then scored seven straight points for Northwest to force a RSU timeout with the score at 33-26, Hillcats.
 
Molly Hartnett drained her second three-pointer of the night fresh out of the timeout, and Jillian Fleming knocked down a three of her own to bring the 'Cats to within one point of Rogers State forcing another Hillcat timeout. The Bearcats had a sizzling start to the third quarter as they had made 3-of-4 attempts from beyond the arc when the timeout was called.
 
Lindsey Kelderman tied the game up at 35-35 with her first three of the night with 2:28 to go in the third quarter. Northwest took its first lead since the first quarter with back-to-back three-pointers from Molly Hartnett to close the third quarter. Hartnett scored 16 points in the quarter.
 
The Bearcats outscored the Hillcats 22-9 in third quarter action. Northwest erased a 14-point deficit in the quarter and turned it into a two-point lead at 41-39 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Northwest outscored RSU 20-11 in the fourth to earn a 61-50 victory. The Bearcats outscored Rogers State 42-20 in the second half.
 
Molly Hartnett led all scorers with her second straight 24 point performance. Hartnett went 4-for-6 from downtown, 8-for-8 from the free throw line and had a team-high four assists as she now has 201 career assists. Peyton Kelderman added eight points, and Jillian Fleming and Emma Atwood each tallied seven points. Fleming had three assists and Atwood had six rebounds, two steals, and two assists. Lindsey Kelderman hit two three's after connecting on just one over the past four games.
 
Northwest shot 35.8% from the field in the game while going a perfect 14-for-14 from the free throw line. The 'Cats have not been perfect from the charity stripe in any game this season until tonight. Northwest outrebounded the Hillcats by eight, won the turnover battle by three, and had eight more fast break points.
 
The largest margin overcome in a victory for the Bearcats this season was 10 points and it was when Northwest hosted Rogers State earlier this season. Northwest trailed by 10 points with 3:36 to play in the second quarter in Bearcat Arena. Tonight at RSU, the Bearcats overcame a 14-point deficit in the third quarter and ended up with an 11-point victory.


Northwest is back in action Saturday, Feb. 11, at 1:30 p.m. against Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.