ST. JOSEPH – An unmatched winning streak to begin a season was stopped at 18 games Saturday afternoon as the No. 5 Missouri Western women’s basketball team fell 82-76 to Nebraska-Kearney inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.

Missouri Western found itself down by as many as 19 in the first half. The Griffons would slowly claw their way back into the game, cutting the deficit to single digits with 2:53 left in the third quarter, but couldn’t stop a hot-shooting Nebraska-Kearney team fresh off a 30-point loss at Northwest Missouri State. UNK shot 55.8 percent from the field, including 65.4 percent in the first half. Missouri Western was close to its season average, shooting 49.1 percent from the field but was just 6-17 from behind the arc and 50 percent at the free throw line.

LaQuinta Jefferson led Missouri Western with 19 points, one of four Griffons to finish in double-figures. Dwanisha finished with 14, Melia Richardson scored 13 and Julia Torres added 10. No Griffon had more than three rebounds, with the team totaling 24 rebounds to Nebraska-Kearney’s 37.

The loss drops Missouri Western to 18-1 and 12-1 in the MIAA. The Griffons hit the road next week, beginning at Pittsburg State on Wednesday.

— MWSU Athletics —