MARYVILLE, Mo. – Graduate guard Molly Hartnett delivered Northwest Missouri State's first 30-plus point game since 2019, scoring a career-high 31 points to lift the Bearcats (14-14, 7-11 MIAA) to an 82-76 overtime win over the Newman Jets (7-20, 2-16 MIAA) at Bearcat Arena.

Hartnett led the way with five assists and four rebounds while shooting 8-of-18 from the field and an impressive 14-of-15 from the free-throw line, as graduate guard Caely Kesten piled on a strong 19-point effort.

Senior forward Kelsey Fields dominated the glass, securing her 15th career double-double with 11 points and 21 rebounds (five offensive). Fields' 21 rebounds marked the most by a Bearcat since Meghan Brue grabbed 20 on Dec. 29, 2008, and stand as the highest single-game total in the MIAA this season. Fields' performance also marks just the sixth time in program history that a Bearcat has recorded 20 or more rebounds in a game.

Northwest shot out to a 7-0 run to claim a 29-22 advantage as Newman took a timeout with 7:28 to play in the second. The Bearcats led by as much as nine, but the Jets stormed back to pull within one with 2:12 to go in the half. Northwest went just 1-of-8 from the floor to end the first half, yet still holding a two-point advantage, 38-36. Kesten led Northwest with 13 first-half points, as Hartnett trailed with 10. Kelsey Fields grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with her six points. 
 
Both teams scored out of the gate in the quarter, as the game was tied at 50 with 2:03 to play. Hartnett put the 'Cats up two with a pair of free throws, 52-50. A very competitive game saw the Bearcats tied with the Jets, 52-52, entering the final quarter. 
 
Hartnett drilled a step back three as Northwest scored on back-to-back possessions to begin the fourth. The Bearcats forced a Jets timeout after Stanley fought for another offensive rebound, as Kesten's floater had Northwest leading 68-64 with 3:33 to play. Newman knotted the game up at 68 with just under a minute to play. Northwest turned the ball over for just the fifth time in regulation, as the game went into overtime tied at 68. 
 
The Bearcats scored the first four points of the overtime period, before Newman's Layla Pierce banked in a three at the top of the key. Northwest led by five with 40 ticks to play. Hartnett sealed the dramatic overtime win with a pair of free throws down the stretch, 82-76, over the Newman Jets at Bearcat Arena. 
 
NOTES
Northwest is now 2-0 in overtime games this season and 6-3 under head coach Austin Meyer…The Bearcats secured 17 offensive rebounds which ties as the second-most this season…Northwest led for 29 minutes of game time…The Bearcats turned the ball over just six times…44 out of Northwest's 82 points were scored in the paint…The Bearcats sunk 19-of-22 shots from the charity stripe. 

UP NEXT
Northwest will honor seven seniors and two members of the coaching staff on Saturday, March 1 at 1:30 p.m., for Senior Day.