KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Western and Nebraska Kearney both advanced to the semifinals of the 2022 MIAA Basketball Championships presented by Citizens Bank & Trust.
Fifth seeded Missouri Western knocked off No. 4 seed Central Missouri and the No. 3 seed Nebraska Kearney defeated No. 6 Northwest Missouri. Below are game recaps from Friday’s women’s session.
For the complete bracket of the 2022 Women's Basketball Championship,
click here and for more information on the Championship,
click here.
No.5 Missouri Western 69, No.4 Central Missouri 55 – Box Score
The No.5 seeded-Missouri Western Griffons defeated the No.4 seeded-Central Missouri Jennies 69-55 in the quarterfinals of the 2022 MIAA Men's Basketball Championship presented by Citizens Bank & Trust.
The Griffons finished with 33.8 percent (25-74) shooting from the field, hitting 35.3 percent (6-17) from the three-point range and 76.5 percent (13-17) from the free-throw line. The Jennies hit 35.1 percent (20-57) overall and 70.0 percent (14-20) from the foul line.
Missouri Western had three Griffons finish in double-figure scoring led by MIAA All-Defensive Team selection Connie Clarke with 14 points. Jaelyn Haggard led the Griffons from the three with four in the game to finish with 12 points while Mary Fultz tailed 11. Corbyn Cunningham led MWSU with seven rebounds and ended with the team-high six assists while also adding nine points.
The Jennies were led by All-MIAA selections Brooke Littrell and Nija Collier. Littrell scored a game-high 29 points hitting 11-of-22 from the field and 7-of-9 at the line. The second-year freshman also finished with nine rebounds. Collier, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, had a double-double with a game-high 12 boards and 10 points. Olivia Nelson finished with a game-high seven assists while adding eight points and eight rebounds.
Missouri Western will take on top-seeded Missouri Southern in the tournament semifinals on Saturday, March 5 at 12 p.m. in Municipal Auditorium.
No.3 Nebraska Kearney 52, No.6 Northwest Missouri 47 – Box Score
The No.3 seeded-Nebraska Kearney Lopers defeated No.6-seeded Northwest Missouri Bearcats 52-47 in the quarterfinals of the 2022 MIAA Women's Basketball Championship presented by Citizens Bank & Trust.
The Lopers shot 39.2 percent (20-51) against the Bearcats with 18.8 percent (3-16) shooting from the three and 52.9 percent (9-17) shooting the foul line. The Bearcats hit 33.9 percent (19-56) on the floor, 23.5 percent (4-17) from behind the arc and 62.5 percent (5-8) at the line.
Nebraska Kearney’s offense was led by Trinity Law with 10 points while All-MIAA selection Elisa Backes joined Haley Simental and Shiloh McCool with nine points apiece. All-MIAA honoree Klaire Kirsch led the Lopers defense with 11 boards.
The Bearcats were led by All-MIAA honoree Molly Hartnett with a game-high 26 points. Hartnett hit 10-of-20 from the field with three three’s and a 3-of-3 finish at the free-throw line. Kelsey Fields led the Northwest defense with eight rebounds.
Nebraska Kearney is set to face No.2 seed Fort Hays State in the tournament semifinals on Saturday, March 5 at 2:15 p.m. in Municipal Auditorium.