EMPORIA, Kan. – The 10th-ranked Missouri Western women’s basketball team earned their biggest victory of the season Saturday as they won at #9 Emporia State 73-64. It’s the Griffons first win in Emporia since 2004 and the first time beating a top-10 team since the 2007 season.

MWSU improves to 17-0 and 11-0 in the MIAA.

The Hornets built a five-point advantage in the first quarter but the Griffons closed the gap and eventually grabbed the lead midway through the second quarter on a Sarafina Handy three-point field goal. The Griffons never surrendered the lead after the 5:42 mark of the second quarter.

Missouri Western continues their strong play into the second half and took a seven point lead into the fourth quarter.  The Hornets cut the lead to two points early in the fourth quarter and kept it close until the Griffons went on an 8-2 run with just under three minutes to go. The run featured six points by LaQuinta Jefferson and a bucket by freshman Melia Richardson.

The Griffons were once again led by LaQuinta Jefferson as she scored 19-points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. Sarafina Handy and Miliakere Koyamainavure scored 16 and 12, respectively. Handy tallied 11 rebounds for the Griffons and Jefferson recorded eight rebounds.

Missouri Western shot 50% from the field and scored 50 points in the paints compared to the Hornets 41% shooting and 36 points in the paint. The Griffons also had 16 points from their bench.

The schedule for the Griffons doesn’t get any easier as they take on #3 Fort Hays State on Thursday starting at 5:30 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —