KEARNEY, Neb. — The University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers landed a 71-49 home victory over the Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team in Saturday MIAA action.
 
The Lopers improved to 9-6 overall and 2-2 in MIAA play. Northwest dropped its second straight game to make the Bearcats 9-5 overall and 2-2 in league action.
 
UNK, which held a five-point advantage at the break, outscored Northwest in the second half, 40-23. The Lopers forced the Bearcats into 22 turnovers and held Northwest 37.3% from the field (19-of-51).
 
Freshman Bailey Birmigham tallied a team-best 11 points as she buried a team-high three three-pointers. Sophomore Kirsten Hauck notched 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, which included 2-of-3 from distance. Sophomore Sadie Maas narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and a team-high nine rebounds. Maas also corralled three steals and blocked four shots.  
 
The game commenced with a strong start for the Bearcats as Sadie Maas connected on a 3-pointer, assisted by Bailey Birmingham, to open the scoring. Despite early defensive efforts, including four blocks and four steals, they faced challenges in maintaining the lead. Kirsten Hauck provided a critical boost with consecutive 3-pointers, narrowing the gap late in the quarter. A late jumper by Maas brought the Bearcats within one point, ending the first quarter with a score of 18-17 in favor of the Lopers.

Northwest initiated the second quarter with a brief lead, sparked by Hauck's jumper at 8:22. Boston Wand extended the advantage with a layup assisted by Maggie Collins, bringing the score to 21-18. Andrea Lopreato contributed with two successful free throws at the 7:00 mark, maintaining a slight edge. However, Nebraska-Kearney responded with a scoring surge led by Tara Biocanin, who tied and eventually propelled the home team into the lead. Despite a late 3-pointer from Birmingham at 2:12 to temporarily regain the advantage, the Bearcats ended the quarter trailing 31-26.

The Bearcats opened the third quarter with a quick layup by Wand, assisted by Lopreato, narrowing the deficit to three points. Despite persistent efforts, including a 3-pointer by Birmingham at 5:51 and a fast-break jumper from Maas, the Bearcats struggled to close the gap as Nebraska-Kearney maintained their lead. They faced challenges with turnovers, totaling 12 in the quarter, which hindered their comeback attempts. The quarter concluded with the Bearcats trailing 53-41 as the Lopers closed with a fast-break 3-pointer in the final minute.

In the fourth quarter, the Bearcats initiated the scoring with a layup by Wand at 9:30, assisted by Ella Moody. Despite this early basket, they struggled to maintain momentum against Nebraska-Kearney, who responded with a series of successful plays, including a three-pointer by Gosia Byczkowska at 7:26, widening the gap. The Bearcats attempted to close the deficit with a three-pointer from Reese Pasternik at 7:50, but the Lopers continued to extend their lead with effective scoring. 

The Bearcats faced challenges in breaking through Nebraska-Kearney's defense, with a notable turnover at critical moments. Avery Yosten added a three-pointer at 2:03, but it was not enough to shift the tide. The quarter concluded with a 71–49 victory for Nebraska-Kearney, as the Bearcats' efforts fell short in the closing minutes.

Northwest will return home to take on Central Missouri Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.