HAYS, Kansas – The Northwest Missouri State University women’s basketball team hung right with the No. 8 Fort Hays State Tiger women’s squad through the first 20 minutes before dropping a 91-63 decision at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

The Bearcats (7-11 overall, 3-6 MIAA) knocked down eight first-half three-pointers and trailed by only nine at the break, 49-40.

However, Fort Hays State opened the second half on an 18-0 run to take control of the contest. The Tigers moved to 18-1 overall and 9-1 in MIAA action.

Northwest knocked in 11 three-pointers in the contest and sank 14-of-16 at the free throw line. Kendey Eaton led the way with 13 points and buried a trio of triples. Erika Schlosser, Mallory McConkey and Kaylani Maiava each tallied 10 points in the defeat. McConkey grabbed a team-high six rebounds, while Eaton dished out a team-best four assists.

The Tigers had five scorers in double figures, led by Lanie Paige with 20 points. Tatyana Legette finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. The Tigers outrebounded the Bearcats 39-22. The Tigers now move to 18-1 on the year and 9-1 in the MIAA.

Northwest will be back in action Thursday at home against Pittsburg State. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.

— Northwest Athletics —

KEARNEY, Nebraska – The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team moved to 18-0 on the season with a 85-57 road victory over the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers on Thursday.

Freshman Diego Bernard stuffed the stat sheet with a pair of career highs in points (21) and rebounds (8). Bernard also added two assists and two steals as Northwest won its ninth consecutive road game.

Senior Joey Witthus tallied a game-high 23 points on 7-of-9 field goals. Witthus also went 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

The Bearcats shot 57.1 percent from the floor. Northwest drained 19-of-30 shots in the opening half and cooled off by making only 13-of-26 field goals in the second half.

Northwest will travel to Fort Hays State on Saturday. Tip is set for 4 p.m. in Hays, Kansas.

NOTES: Northwest won its ninth straight road game … Northwest is 8-0 in MIAA play and has won 13 consecutive league games dating back to last season … Northwest is 70-7 in its last 77 MIAA contests … junior Tyler Dougherty tied a season-high with eight points.

— Northwest Athletics —

The Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team traveled to Nebraska-Kearney Thursday and beat the Lopers 74-62. The Bearcats made 12 three-pointers on 29 attempts. Northwest was consistent beginning to end, winning each individual quarter. The Bearcats also continued their dominance from the free throw line going 20-21 from the charity stripe. The Bearcats had 5 double digit scorers for the first time since November 2016.

Jaelyn Haggard led the team with 16 points, followed by Kendey Eaton with 15, Erika Schlosser with 13, and Kiley Coleman and Kaylani Maiava with 10 points each. Schlosser had 7 assists which led the team and Maiava had 9 rebounds to lead the Bearcats.

The Lopers struggled to put points on the board only managing one double digit scorer, Maegan Holt who had 10. They were held to 25% from the three point line. They were outrebounded by the Bearcats 29-31.

The Bearcats continue their road trip against Fort Hays on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. Bearcats look to continue their road conference success where they are currently 3-1. The Bearcats currently 7-10 overall.

— Northwest Athletics —

Northwest Missouri State University head women’s basketball coach Austin Meyer has announced the signing of Kayla Chapman to compete for the Bearcats in 2019-20.

Chapman, a 5’9″ guard from Treynor, Iowa, is averaging 15.0 points per game this season. She has helped lead Treynor to a 14-0 start to the 2018-19 prep season. Chapman has posted a mark of 85-5 during her high school career, including a trip to the 2017 state championship game and a semifinal appearance in the 2016 state tournament. She is a 1,000-point scorer as a prep for head coach Joe Chapman.

As a junior, Chapman averaged 16.8 points per game and earned all-state honors. She shot 50 percent from the field, including 37 percent from three-point range. She also averaged 5.0 rebounds per contest.

She scored 193 points as a freshman and 182 points as a sophomore.

Chapman is a four-year academic letterwinner and a multi-sport letterwinner in a volleyball, golf, track, soccer and basketball. She helped lead Treynor to the golf state title in 2017, while earning all-state accolades. She was a third-team all-state pick in volleyball in 2017.

— Northwest Athletics —

PARKVILLE, Mo. – Small College Basketball is excited to announce its first Watch List for the Bevo Francis Award of 2019 consisting of 100 of the finest men’s basketball players in the country who compete in the affiliations of NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA Division I, NAIA Division II, USCAA and NCCAA.

Senior Joey Witthus (Chanhassen, Minnesota), sophomore Ryan Hawkins (Atlantic, Iowa) and redshirt freshman Trevor Hudgins (Manhattan, Kansas) represent Northwest Missouri State University on the top-100 watch list.

This marks the fourth season of the Bevo Francis Award, as the award was previously given to Dominez Burnett of Davenport (Mich.) in 2016, Justin Pitts of Northwest Missouri State in 2017 and Emanuel Terry of Lincoln Memorial last season.

“This was an extremely difficult process, and I am very thankful to our committee for their input and feedback on many players throughout the country,” said Small College Basketball Founder John McCarty. “When we look out over the landscape of small college basketball, we’re trying to find the best of the best, based on our criteria, out of about 1,100 – 1,200 colleges and universities.

“As such, it’s a real honor to be included on this prestigious list. Each of the players on this list is in the midst of a heck of a season, and I congratulate each and every one of them.”

Members of the Bevo Francis Award committee include the following coaches: Tobin Anderson – St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.), Gerald Holmes – Bloomfield (N.J.), Gary Stewart – Stevenson (Md.), Arlen Galloway – Wentworth (Mass.), Chris Briggs – Georgetown (Ky.), Bill Dreikosen – Rocky Mountain (Mont.), Klint Pleasant – Rochester (Mich.), Ryan Kane – Ripon (Wisc.), Mark Berokoff – Hillsdale Baptist (Okla.), Mike Donnelly – Florida Southern, Rhett Soliday – Vanguard (Calif.), Sam Hargraves – Alma (Mich.), Greg Mason – Centre (Ky.) and Ryan Looney – Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.).

The committee chose this elite group from over 1,100 colleges and universities and took into consideration individual statistics, previous awards, milestones and team success.

On February 15, SCB will publish the next Watch List with 50 players. The list will be narrowed down to 25 players in a Watch List published on March 15. The finalists will be announced in a highlight video that will be released on April 6.

— Northwest Athletics —

Northwest Missouri State University senior forward Joey Witthus has been named the MIAA men’s basketball player of the week.

Witthus averaged 29.0 points per game, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in leading Northwest to a pair of home wins over Emporia State and nationally-ranked Washburn.

Against Emporia State, Witthus notched his third 30-point game of the season with 32 points. Witthus scored 16 consecutive points in the second half to turn a six-point game into a 15-point advantage for the Bearcats. Witthus went 11-of-22 from the field and drained five triples to go along with three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Witthus went 5-of-5 from the free throw stripe.

On Saturday against Washburn, Witthus scored a game-high 26 points. Witthus was 7-of-15 from the field that included four buried treys. Witthus was 8-of-9 at the free throw line. He added five rebounds, three assists and two steals in the win to push the Bearcats win streak to 16 in a row.

Witthus shot 48.6 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from three-point range and 92.9 percent from the free throw line.

Northwest and Witthus will be in action again Saturday in St. Joseph, Missouri, against Missouri Western. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

— Northwest Athletics —

MARYVILLE, Missouri – The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State University men’s basketball team won a battle of MIAA unbeatens with an 83-75 triumph over the Washburn Ichabods in Bearcat Arena on Saturday.

Northwest ran the nation’s longest win streak to 16 behind 26 points from Joey Witthus and 24 points from Trevor Hudgins. Washburn falls to 11-3 overall and 4-1 in MIAA action. Northwest is 6-0 in MIAA play.

Ryan Hawkins collected his seventh double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Northwest will be in action next Saturday at Missouri Western. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. in St. Joseph, Missouri.

— Northwest Athletics —

The Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team lost to the Washburn Ichabods 70-51 at Bearcat Arena Saturday. The Bearcats fell victim to poor shooting again shooting only 34% from the field. They only shot 33% from behind the three-point line. The Ichabods outrebounded the Bearcats 38 to 25. Both teams had 15 turnovers on the game.

Northwest was led in scoring by Jaelyn Haggard with 18 points. Haggard went 5-6 from the three point line and 6-7 from the field. Kaylani Maiava was also in double figures with 13 points and led the team in rebounds with 8. Erika Schlosser led the team with 4 assists.

Washburn was led in scoring by Reagan Phelan with 16, followed by Taylor Blue with 15 and Hunter Bentley with 10. Bentley added 11 rebounds to give her a double-double for the game. Bentley and Phelan each added 6 assists.

Northwest will travel to St. Joseph, to take on Missouri Western Saturday, Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m.

— Northwest Athletics —