The Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team fell to the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers, 70-59, on Thursday evening at the Health and Sports Center in Kearney, Neb. The loss drops the Bearcats to 4-8 overall and 1-4 in MIAA play. UNK improves to 6-7 and 3-4 in conference action.

Ariel Easton lead all scorers with 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting. She also had five rebounds and three assists. Annie Mathews recorded her second-consecutive double-double with a 12-rebound, 10-point performance.

Northwest shot 53.6 percent in the first half and jumped out to a 39-25 halftime lead. The first-half defense held UNK to just 26.8 percent shooting. In the second half, the Lopers hit 19-of-35 shots from the field (54.3%) whileNorthwest was unable to get on track offensively.

The Bearcats head to Washburn on Saturday evening for a 5 p.m. contest in Topeka, Kan. Northwest will host Northeastern State on Monday, Jan. 13, at 5:30 p.m. in a make-up contest at Bearcat Arena. That game was originally scheduled for Jan. 6.

— Northwest Sports Information —