WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Senior forward
Kelsey Fields tallied her 13th career double-double, as Graduate guard
Caely Kesten recorded a game-high 19 points to pace the Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team (8-7, 1-4 MIAA) to a 66-58 road triumph over Central Missouri at the Hughes Athletics Center.
Fields finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and a block, while Kesten put up her third consecutive double-figure scoring game with 19 points.
Molly Hartnett rounded off the Bearcats' double-digit scoring with 11 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Northwest shot its best shooting percentage of 45.8% (22-of-48) since Nov. 30 against Mission University. Four Bearcats recorded a shot from long-range, totaling 37.5% (6-of-16). The Bearcats shot 69.6% (16-of-23) from the charity stripe.
UCM (9-7, 1-4 MIAA) bolstered out to a quick 17-4 lead at the opening media timeout, as
Lindsey Kelderman and Fields accounted for each of Northwest's buckets. Kesten knocked in her first three-pointer of the night with 45 seconds to play, cutting the early deficit to seven. Kesten then found herself at the charity stripe, converting on both free throws to end the quarter. The Jennies led 18-12 after one.
Brooklyn Stanley found Fields down low to ignite a 7-0 start to the second period, as Northwest took its first lead, 19-18, with seven minutes to play. Kesten buried another triple just before the media timeout, giving the Bearcats a 27-22 advantage with 4:14 to play in the half. Despite the early hole, Northwest held UCM to 26.7% (4-of-15) from the floor in the second quarter, outscoring the Jennies 22-10, and leading 34-28 at the break. Fields recorded 12 first-half points and seven rebounds, as Kesten put up 11 points, shooting 50% from the floor (2-of-3 3PT). As a team, Northwest shot 44% (11-of-25) in the opening half, converting on 10-of-13 of its free throws.
The Jennies made a push in the third quarter, knotting the game up at 40 with just under five minutes to play.
Ella Moody had an answer, sinking her second three- pointer of the season on the next possession. Fields pulled down her tenth rebound of the game after a UCM missed layup with a minute to go, recording her 13thcareer double-double performance. With one quarter to play, Northwest held a 51-47 lead.
Emree Zars found the scoring column after sinking a crucial corner three at the 7:07 mark in the fourth. Soon after,
Evelyn Vazquez sank a floater to record her first points, giving the Bearcats their largest lead of the night (10) with 4:18 to play. Northwest would convert on its late free throws to seal the win in Warrensburg, halting its six-game skid with a 66-58 road victory over Central Missouri. Along with the win, the Bearcats snapped the Jennies' four-game home winning streak.
Up Next:
Northwest travels to Washburn on Saturday, Jan. 11 for a 1 p.m. tip-off at Lee Arena. The Bearcat men will follow at 3 p.m.
