Press Release

Jan. 28, 2009

Bearcats End Home Stand with 66-57 Loss to No. 11 Lady Blues

Box Score

MARYVILLE, Mo. - Rickeya McElroy reached 20 points for the second-straight game and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds as Northwest Missouri State (6-13, 2-10 MIAA) dropped a 66-57 decision to No. 11 Washburn (16-3, 9-3 MIAA) to cap a three-game home stand. Meghan Brue reached double-digit points for the 18th-straight game with 12 tonight.

Northwest answered Washburn through the first four points before the Lady Blues used a nine-point rally to take a 13-4 lead with just under 13 minutes left in the first half. The Bearcats closed to within one with 3:55 remaining off a three-pointer from Micaela Uriell to cap an 8-2 Northwest run.

After trailing 23-19 at halftime, Northwest scored the first six points of the second half, four coming from McElroy, to take its first lead of the game with 18:30 remaining. A pair of free throws from McElroy put Northwest ahead for the last time at 31-30 with 14:18 remaining before the Lady Blues used 12-2 run to put the game out of reach.

McElroy moved into a tie for third in season records with her 31st blocked shot tonight. She led all players with eight field goals off 13 attempts and tied for the game-high with 23 points.

Northwest went perfect from the free-throw line (13-of-13) for the first time since Nov. 19, 2005.

Shelly Martin provided solid numbers with three steals, three assists and seven points while Uriell scored nine points off three-pointers.

Up Next: The Bearcats make the long trip to Hays, Kan., Saturday for a 5:30 p.m. meeting with the Tigers. Fort Hays State lost 69-60 at Nebraska-Omaha tonight.