The Northwest Missouri State University women’s basketball team picked up a 78-70 season opening win over Ouachita Baptist on Friday night at the Meyer Sports Center in Bolivar, Mo.

– The game was the season opener for both programs. It was also the first all-time meeting between the two programs from the MIAA and the GAC.

– Junior Tanya Meyer set career highs with 31 points, 11 made field goals and six three-pointers made. She also grabbed five rebounds, two coming on the offensive end.

– Taryne Shull had a career-high 11 rebounds for Northwest, four of the offensive variety. She added five points in 35 minutes of work with a steal.

– Northwest outrebounded Ouachita Baptist, 35-24, and had 16 total assists.

Key Northwest Statistics
– The Bearcats shot 46.4 percent (26-56) from the field and hit 11 three pointers. Northwest was 15-of-17 at the charity stripe, hitting at an 88.2 percent clip.

– Northwest grabbed 12 offensive rebounds which turned into 11 second-chance points. The Tigers only managed four second-chance points.

– Jasmin Howe knocked down three long range jumpers, finishing the night with 17 points, two rebounds and two assists.

– Macy Williams scored 12 points in 39 minutes. She tied a career-high with six assists and did not commit a foul. She set a career-high with seven made free throws.

– Alexa Schaaf also set a career-high with six assists in the game. She grabbed a pair of rebounds with a steal.

Key Northwest Sequences
– The Bearcats got off to a quick start, beginning the game with a 7-0 run. Meyer hit a three-pointer off an assist from Williams just 38 seconds into the game for a 3-0 lead. Half a minute later, Howe made a layup to push the lead to 5-0. After a second missed Tiger three pointer, Meyer hit a jumper to put Northwest up, 7-0.

– At the end of the first quarter, Northwest got five quick points as Meyer hit a three pointer to put the Bearcats up by eight, 21-13. A missed jumper by Ouachita Baptist led to a Northwest possession with 45 seconds left. Meyer would miss a three but Shull picked up the offensive board and hit a layup to put the Bearcats up, 25-13 to end the first quarter.

– The Tigers tied things up 44-44 early in the third quarter but Northwest went on a 14-6 run to pull ahead by eight. Williams broke the tie at the 7:20 mark with a three pointer. Meyer hit a jumper to make it a five-point lead, 49-44. Ouachita answered back with a jumper but Meyer converted an conventional three-point play, making the layup and drawing a foul to push the lead up to 52-46. After a miss by the Tigers, Benson drew a foul and hit a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 54-46. Ouachita Baptist got a layup to cut the lad to 54-48 but Williams knocked down a pair of free throws and Carlie Willhelmi converted a layup to put the Bearcats up by eight, 58-50, with 3:01 left in the third quarter.

Up Next
– Northwest will face off with Henderson State on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 8:15 p.m. in Bolivar, Mo.

— Northwest Athletics —