ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western women’s basketball team (21-7, 13-6) came back from an eight-point deficit to defeat Lindenwood (12-15, 7-12) 64-56 Saturday and earn a bye in the first round of the MIAA Tournament.

A 16-0 Lindenwood run Missouri Western down 31-23 with 7:20 to go in the third quarter, but the Griffons answered with a 20-9 run to regain the lead and never relinquished it.

The Griffons will open the MIAA Tournament Friday, March 3 at 8:30 p.m. versus the winner of Northwest Missouri at Central Oklahoma. The Griffons earned the four-seed Saturday by virtue of their victory and Central Oklahoma’s loss at Emporia State.

NOTABLES
– The Griffons shot 62.5% from the field in the fourth quarter after shooting just 23.5% in both the second and third quarters

– Missouri Western out-scored Lindenwood 28-18 in the fourth quarter

– MWSU forced 28 Lindenwood turnovers

– The Grifffons scored 31 points off turnovers, to 11 for Lindenwood

– It was the final home game for seniors: Chelsea Dewey, Krystal Cohrn, Sefulu Faavae, Dwanisha Tate and Julia Torres

TOP PERFORMERS
– Julia Torres led all scorers with a career-high 25 points

– Dwanisha Tate had a team-high nine rebounds and added 10 points

– Chelsea Dewey had a team-high seven assists to go with her six points

– Sefulu Faavae led the Griffons with four steals and scored six points

UP NEXT
The Griffons await the winner of the Northwest Missouri State at Central Oklahoma game. Missouri Western will face the winner Friday night at 8:30 p.m. inside Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.

— MWSU Athletics —