By David Boyce

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – After missing the last two games with an injury, junior Tanya Meyer returned for the Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team and played well.

But Meyer’s game-high 22 points were not enough to counter the balanced scoring from the University of Central Missouri. Four players scored in double figures for the Jennies in their 66-42 win over Northwest Thursday evening at the Multipurpose Building.

“For her first game back after being out a week or so, you could tell she was a little rusty. But she was doing everything she could do, but she can’t do it by herself,” Northwest coach Buck Scheel said. “We talked about that in the locker room. Until everybody is on the same page and have that same drive and competitiveness across the board, we are not going to give ourselves a chance.”

Northwest will regroup Friday and then take on Southwest Baptist Saturday afternoon in Bolivar, Mo.

“They have to come out and compete,” Scheel said. “I feel like right now we are scared to lose. That is kind of how we play when we are out on the floor.”

Central Missouri was on top of its game, scoring inside and hitting three-pointers when they were available. The diverse offense helped the Jennies build a 60-35 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Bearcats didn’t quit. Despite the deficit, they kept battling and scored the next five points to make it 60-40.

Defensively, Northwest made it more difficult for Central Missouri to score, but the deficit was too much to overcome for the Bearcats.

“Nine losses in a row now, and we are playing like we are scared,” Scheel said. “You have to fight through that, and get through that adversity and want to compete.”

When Jasmin Howe’s three-point attempt bounced up and around the rim before falling in, it looked like a good sign for the Bearcats that fortune was on their side. The trey gave Northwest a 5-4 lead.

Unfortunately, the Bearcats never led again and went into halftime behind 36-21.

Offense was hard for Northwest to generate, particularly in the first quarter when it scored only nine points.

Meanwhile, Central had plenty of success driving to the basket and scoring. The Bearcats went into the second quarter trailing 19-9.

The only consistent offense for Northwest came from Meyer, who scored 12 of the Bearcats’ 21 points in the first half. In contrast, Central had four players who scored six or more points.

— Northwest Athletics —