MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team (15-14, 8-11 MIAA) used a balanced scoring-attack to take care of the Emporia State Hornets (10-18, 5-14 MIAA) on Senior Day at Bearcat Arena, 70-51.
 
After being held scoreless in the first half, Caely Kesten scored a team-high 12 points, as Kelsey Fields notched back-to-back double-doubles with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Sadie Maas rejected a career-high five blocks to go along with seven points and six rebounds (four offensive).
 
The Bearcats shot 41.3% (26-of-63) from the field, and 39.3% (11-of-28) from long-range, holding the Hornets to 35.8%, and 25% from three-point land. 
 
Northwest bolstered out to an 8-0 run before ESU converted on its first field goal of the game at the 6:59 mark. At the opening media timeout, the Bearcats held a 10-4 lead, as Fields and Molly Hartnett each had four quick points. Lindsey Kelderman dropped in Northwest's first triple, after missing its first four attempts, with 3:07 to play in the opening quarter. Fields tallied six points in the quarter, pacing the 'Cats to a 17-8 advantage after the first. 
 
Asserting her early dominance in the paint, Maas rejected her third shot with just over three minutes to play in the half. Brooklyn Stanley then forced a Hornet timeout after burying her second three-pointer to lead 34-16. Northwest had three players with seven first-half points, Hartnett, Fields and Stanley, as the Bearcats' leading scorer Kesten was held scoreless off one attempt from the floor. ESU was held to just 25.9% percent from the floor in the half, as Northwest shot an efficient 43.3%, and 35.7 % from beyond the arc to lead 34-17 at the break. 
 
Kesten recorded her first points swiftly out of the break, knocking in the Bearcats' sixth triple to lead by 20. Northwest kept its foot on the gas in the third, leading by as much as 28 points with 2:26 to play. At the end of three, the 'Cats held a 52-28 advantage. 
 
Seniors Kendall Clatt, Evelyn Vazquez, Laini Joseph and Peyton Kelderman all checked into the contest, as Hartnett, Fields and Kesten departed for the game for the final time at Bearcat Arena. Peyton Kelderman drilled a pair of threes, as Vazquez fought for several offensive boards, eventually finding Clatt for another long ball. 
 
The Bearcats led for all 40 minutes of game time to seal a 70-51 Senior Day victory over the Hornets. Northwest held ESU's bench to zero points, while piling on 23 points itself. The Bearcats forced the Hornets into nine turnovers, scoring 14 points from those miscues, also winning the rebounding battle, 44-to-32. 

With the win, Northwest secures back-to-back winning regular seasons for the first time in 17 years, and also marks a fourth straight .500 or better season (longest stretch since 1991).