Late free throws undo Cats

By Editor | January 22, 2015 |

JOPLIN, Mo. — A pair of free throws with less than 30 seconds to play ended the Northwest women’s basketball team’s hope of three straight MIAA wins Wednesday night against Missouri Southern.

The Bearcats led for all but 2:03 and led by as many as 12 points in the second half before a pair of free throws from Southern’s Nicole Hartzog with 28 seconds gave the Lions a 60-59 advantage, the final margin.

Missouri Southern led 5-2 with 18:08 to play in the first half, but at the 17:20 mark freshman guard Alexa Schaaf hit a three-pointer to put Northwest up 7-5. The Bearcats hit six of their first eight shots and pushed the lead to as many as nine, 28-19, with 6:19 to go in the first half, and held a 35-31 lead at the break.

With nine minutes to play, senior guard Ariel Easton converted a fastbreak layup to put the Cats up 53-41. Then, Missouri Southern rattled off 11 straight points to cut the Northwest lead to 53-52 with 6:10 to play.

Junior guard Taylor Shull kept the Cats in front with a mid-range jumper and Easton pushed the lead back to five points moments later.

A three-pointer by Shawnee Phillips with 1:57 to play gave the Lions their first lead since early in the first half. But on the ensuing possession Easton, who led all scorers with 27 points, drove in for her final points of the night to give the Bearcats back a one-point advantage.

Junior guard Tember Schechinger, who recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds, blocked Hartzog’s layup attempt at the other ended, but Easton couldn’t get the jumper to fall, which led to Hartzog getting fouled and making both from the charity stripe.

Easton missed with four seconds left, but the Bearcats fouled Phillips, who missed both free throws. Northwest, however, couldn’t get off a potential game-winning shot.

Easton’s 27 points are a career-best for a conference game and the Bearcats shot 45 percent (24-of-53) overall from the field. The Lions shot just 33 percent from the floor, but converted 22-of-32 free throws with the clock stopped.

The Bearcats (6-13, 2-8 MIAA) return home to host Lindenwood (8-7, 1-7 MIAA) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28.