PITTSBURG, Kan. – A season for the ages came to an end Friday night in the NCAA Central Regional for the Missouri Western Women’s basketball team. The Griffons were knocked off, 81-80, by Arkansas Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Pittsburg, KS.

Chelsea Dewey tied the game for the 10th time with 1:16 left on a layup and gave the Griffons a 78-77 lead on a free throw after she was fouled during the layup. Arkansas Tech led 80-77 with 13 seconds left and Sarafina Handy had a three-point attempt blocked with six seconds to go. Arkansas Tech made it a four-point game after a Missouri Western foul on the blocked three-point attempt. Sefulu Faavae made a three-point attempt at the buzzer to make the final score, 81-80.

The third seeded Griffons were hurt by 23 turnovers that resulted in 23 Arkansas Tech points. Missouri Western ended the game even with Arkansas Tech on the glass, but the Golden Suns pulled down 18 offensive rebounds that led to 18 second-chance points. Both teams ended the game with 30 made field goals. Missouri Western shot 55.6 from the field, 61.5 percent from three-point range and 80 percent at the free throw line.

Dwanisha Tate led Missouri Western with a career-high 22 points, surpassing her previous high of 14 points in the second quarter. Handy finished her last game as a Griffon shooting 5-7 from beyond the arc and turning in 17 points. Faavae ended with a career-high 14 points and a team-high five rebounds. Chelsea Dewey finished with 11 points.

The loss dropped Missouri Western to 27-4 in a season that will remain in the MWSU record books. The Griffons set a program record with 26 regular season wins, an MIAA record with 20 conference wins, won the program’s first MIAA regular season championship since 2002 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.

— MWSU Athletics —