By David Boyce, Northwest Athletics
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Despite Northeastern State knocking down four three-pointers in the opening minutes of the third quarter, Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball played with fire out of halftime. It was something the Bearcats were looking to do.
The Bearcats weathered the three-point barrage that put them down eight points, fought back and even took a slim lead midway through the third quarter.
Unfortunately, Northwest couldn’t sustain the momentum. The Bearcats went into the fourth quarter trailing by one and then gave up the first seven points. Northwest never recovered from the eight-point deficit and lost 66-60 Monday evening at Bearcat Arena.
“I told the girls after the game that we pretty much lost the game right at the tipoff,” Northwest interim head coach Buck Scheel said. “Defensively and offensively, we came out with no energy. That is not the team that I’ve been coaching and the team I’ve been dealing with every day in practice. After these close games we have had, they come in the next day ready to work and look forward to the next game.
“As soon as we started the game today, we were just flat. I don’t know if they are thinking about it too much, about how bad we need a win. We have to get it figured out. I’m running out of moral victory speeches. It is time to buy into yourself and into each other and go out and take care of it or it is not going to happen.”
Late in the second quarter and again in the third quarter, Northwest proved it had the offense and the character to overcome an adverse situation in a game.
The RiverHawks had a couple of stretches in the game when they were making three-pointers like they were layups. Leading 31-29 in the third, Northeastern got a three-pointer from junior Mary Jane Buschmann. Freshman Kylie Looney followed with a three, giving the RiverHawks a 37-29 lead.
Senior Tember Schechinger got the Bearcats rolling with a three-pointer. The RiverHawks answered with another three-pointer. Schechinger came right back with a three-pointer and then a two-point field goal, helping Northwest close to 40-37.
“We’ve been stressing on being positive and taking that step,” said Schechinger, who set a career-high in three-pointers with five and finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, her third double-double this season. “I’m a senior on the team and that starts with me. I had to come in with some momentum.”
Sophomore Tanya Meyer, who scored 19 points, made a field goal and suddenly Northwest trailed by just one point.
Meyer wasn’t done. She hit a three-pointer with 4:28 left in the third quarter that gave Northwest a 42-40 lead. But this was Northeastern’s night from the outside. Looney hit a three-pointer that put the RiverHawks ahead at 43-42.
“One thing we talked about the last few days was their ability to shoot the ball,” Scheel said. “As basketball players, you have to make those adjustments even more when they are getting hot and getting deeper and deeper. You have to close out that much harder.”
Northeastern took back the lead, 48-45, when freshman Cailyn Long hit another three-pointer for the RiverHawks. They entered the fourth quarter ahead 48-47. The Bearcats, though, outscored Northeastern 25-22 in the third quarter.
The Bearcats just couldn’t overcome two hot stretches from Northeastern from behind the arc.
“It is frustrating,” Schechinger said of the RiverHawks making so many three-pointers. “We just know we have to get out there no matter how deep they are. We knew they could shoot. Our coaches stressed that. We needed to get out there with high hands.”
Northwest showed its character by going into halftime down only 26-23. It could have been much worse.
The Bearcats struggled on offense through much of the first half. Two days ago, Northwest scored 21 points in the first quarter. On Monday, the Bearcats had 18 points late in the second quarter and needed a spurt to get there.
Northwest did finish strong. The Bearcats trailed 26-13 when they finally found an offensive rhythm.
A 10-0 run to end the second quarter started on a three-pointer by Schechinger with 2:17 left before halftime. Freshman Arbrie Benson followed with a strong drive to the basket for a layup.
Junior Jaylah Jackson finished the run with a 15-foot jumper followed by a three-point play.
“I was very happy about that and thought that could really push us through the third quarter,” Scheel said.
— Northwest Athletics —