Press Release

Jan. 7, 2009

Bearcats Beat Griffons for Fourth Straight Home Win

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MARYVILLE, Mo. - Micaela Uriell grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds and added 11 points for her first career double-double as Northwest Missouri State (6-7, 2-4 MIAA) recorded its fourth straight home win in a 56-52 victory against rival-Missouri Western (0-13, 0-7 MIAA). Meghan Brue also scored 16 points and recorded 10 rebounds for her sixth career double-double.

Neither team scored through the first two and a half minutes until Amber Vandevender made the first of her season-best three three-pointers off an assist from Uriell. The Bearcats scored the first six points and held the Griffons without the field goal until London Houchin tied the game at 8-8 with a three-pointer from Jessica Koch at 13:42.

Missouri Western and Northwest tied five more times as neither team could go ahead more than a possession. The Griffons carried a 25-23 advantage at halftime after the Bearcats committed two turnovers in the final minute, one leading to a layup by Lauren Nolke.

A jumper from Vandevender two minutes, 40 seconds into the second half provided the Bearcats a 27-26 advantage, their first since the 1:12 mark of the first half. Northwest held Missouri Western without a field goal through the first seven minutes before Rachel Luteyn used a jumper to close the Bearcat lead to one at 30-29. But an 11-4 run would allow Northwest to take an eight-point lead with 9:19 remaining and claim back-to-back home MIAA wins.

Uriell notched her second straight game with double-digit points in a career-high 35-minute appearance. Brue extended her streak with 10 or more points to 12 games in her third double-double of the season.

Vandevender scored 11 points, one shy of her season-best, in going three-for-three from beyond the three-point arc. Rickeya McElroy moved into ninth in season program records with a pair of blocks tonight. She sits with 22 and needs one to tie Danae Wagner for eighth.

Luteyn led three Griffons with double-digit points with 15. London Houchin nearly recorded the double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds. Koch accounted for all three Griffon blocked shots and added 10 points.

Up Next: Northwest travels to Truman for a 5:30 p.m. meeting with the Bulldogs Jan. 10. Truman lost 68-62 on the road to Nebraska-Omaha and is 0-7 in the MIAA season.