MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team had to go to overtime to hold off the Emporia State University Hornets Thursday night at Bearcat Arena, 77-69.
Northwest (7-3 overall, 2-0 MIAA) overcame a second-half surge by the Hornets. Northwest led 47-28 with 3:16 left in the third quarter before the Hornets rallied and forced an extra five minutes of action.
The victory extended Northwest's winning streak to six games and also marked its seventh straight home win dating back to last season. The Bearcats secured the win with a 24-point advantage in second-chance opportunities, finishing with a 50-33 rebounding edge.
Northwest Missouri State opened the game by exchanging leads with Emporia State in a tight first quarter.
Bailey Birmingham's early 3-pointer at 9:09, assisted by
Sadie Maas, set the tone for a back-and-forth battle. A significant moment came when
Avery Yosten's steal at 1:21, followed by her 3-pointer at 0:43, extended Northwest Missouri State's lead. The quarter concluded with the Bearcats ahead 19-16.
Northwest gained momentum in the second quarter with a pivotal 3-pointer by
Kirsten Hauck at 6:42, widening their lead.
Boston Wand's offensive rebound and subsequent tip-in at 6:10 further extended the advantage, highlighting a strong performance in the paint. Despite ESU's attempts to close the gap with free throws by Macey Gandee,
Andrea Lopreato's late layup at 0:27 secured the Bearcats' lead. The quarter concluded with Northwest Mo. St. ahead 26–20.
The Bearcats gained control in the third quarter with a strong offensive surge, beginning with a series of successful plays by Lopreato, who contributed with key rebounds and free throws. Maas extended the lead with a three-pointer at 7:56, assisted by Hauck. The team maintained their momentum through efficient scoring and solid defense, extending the advantage to 52–36 by the quarter's end.
Despite ESU's late efforts, including a pair of three-pointers in the final minute, Northwest Mo. St. held firm, finishing the quarter with a 26–22 edge. Emporia State became the first team this season to shoot better than 40% from the field against Northwest. The game concluded with the Bearcats securing a 52–42 victory.
Maas gave the Bearcats a crucial lift with a jumper at 3:28, extending their lead to 58–54. However, ESU responded with a scoring run, tying the game at 60 with a fast-break 3-pointer by Gracie Gilpin at 1:32. Yosten briefly put Northwest Mo. St. back ahead with a jumper at 0:33, but Katiya Casey's layup with 7 seconds remaining tied it again. The game ended in a 62–62 draw as Birmingham's last-second 3-pointer attempt missed the mark.
Northwest Missouri State took control in the final quarter, leveraging strong free-throw shooting to seal their victory. After a layup by Kaitlyn Sanders gave Emporia a brief lead at 64–62, Maas tied the game with a tip-in at 3:42. Birmingham's three-pointer at 2:03 extended the lead to 70–65, supported by consecutive free throws from Hauck shortly after. Yosten and Lopreato continued the momentum at the line, solidifying the advantage. The game ended with a 77–69 victory for the Bearcats.
Lopreato recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, converting all eight of her free throw attempts. Hauck led the scoring with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, before fouling out. Maas contributed 14 points and collected 10 rebounds, making six of 11 shot attempts. Yosten added 12 points and tallied four steals.
Up next for Northwest Missouri State is a home matchup against Baker on Monday, Dec. 15, at 6 p.m. The game will take place at Bearcat Arena in Maryville, Mo.
