TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The No. 8 Missouri Western Women’s basketball team turned on the after burners after a slow first quarter of an 88-57 win at Northeastern State. The win improved the Griffons’ record to 22-2 overall and 15-2 in the MIAA. It’s the first time since the 2002-03 season the team has won more than 21 games in a season.

Early in the second quarter, Missouri Western trailed by two, but then Sarafina Handy knocked down a three that set off a 24-7 Griffon run to end the half. Missouri Western shot 69.4 percent from the field on the night, 72 percent in the second half. LaQuinta Jefferson led the Griffons with 21 points, going 9-11 from the field. Handy finished with 16 points on 4-5 shooting from behind the arc. The Griffon defense held its own, holding Northeastern State to 40.4 percent shooting from the field, just 31 percent in the second half and 11 percent from three-point range after the break.

The 15 MIAA wins this season are one less than the program record. The win also clinched a spot in the top-four of the final MIAA standings. The top-four seeds in the MIAA Tournament receive a bye in the first round and play their first games at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.

— MWSU Athletics —