ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Women’s Basketball (10-10, 5-6 MIAA) went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in the MIAA in Pittsburg State (17-4, 9-3 MIAA) on Saturday. The Griffons led for nearly half of the game, but fell 79-68 at home.

NOTABLES

• The Griffons had one of their best offensive starts of the season on Saturday. The Griffons outscored Pitt State 23-16 in the first quarter, shooting 50 percent from the field.
• The second quarter was much of the same offensively for the Griffons, as the team added 21 more points to take a 44-41 lead into halftime.
• Katrina Roenfeldt led all players in scoring with 13 points at the half.
• The Gorillas took their first lead of the game two minutes into the third quarter.
• Pitt State outscored the Griffons 13-2 to open up the second half, holding the Griffons without a field goal for the first 3:47 of the half.
• KeShara Scott pulled the Griffons within one possession at 57-55 near the end of the third.
• The Gorillas outscored the Griffons 19-12 to pull away in the final quarter.
• Missouri Western scored 24 points in the second half compared to 44 in the first half.
• The Griffons shot an efficient 7-for-17 from three in the loss.

LEADERS

• Roenfeldt led all players with 20 points. It was her seventh game of the season with at least 20 points.
• Melia Richardson was the team’s second-leading scorer with 14 points.
• Brittany Atkins added nine points with a team-high four assists.

UP NEXT

• Missouri Western Women’s Basketball will travel to Lincoln (9-11, 1-10 MIAA) for its next game.
• The Griffons topped the Blue Tigers 62-61 at home in the teams’ first meeting when Melia Richardson sank the game-winner in the final seconds.

— MWSU Athletics —