by The Northeastern State women’s basketball team took the lead for good with 8:03 remaining in the fourth quarter and would not surrender it winning 64-56. It won its MIAA home opener for the second straight year. Sophomore Zaria Collins had a career high 22 points to lead the way, her previous high was 18.
“I’m really proud of the group, we got in there and grinded out the last two minutes of the game,” Bullock said. “The inside play was key and crucial. We took care of the ball in the second half too. We had contributors from every position, we [were] missing out starting point guard Maegan Lee.”
Northeastern State won the rebounding battle 34-26 and assisted on 14 made shots. As a team it pulled down 11 on the offensive glass while scoring 42 points in the paint.
In the first quarter Northwest Missouri scored the first five points before senior Cenia Hayes (Cherokee) hit a three-point dagger from in front of the Bearcat bench. It was the seniors only three-pointer on the day. Collins made a layup to tie knot the contest at 5-5 with 6:53 remaining. Throughout the first quarter nearly every Bearcat bucket was answered by a RiverHawk basket. By the end of the first 10 minutes Northwest Missouri led 15-11. It was the only quarter Northeastern State was outscored.
The second quarter saw Northeastern State come back with a Morgan Lee steal and layup tying it at 17 with 8:10 remaining. Collins added nine points in the stanza. At the half the Bearcats led 27-26.
Coming out of halftime the Bearcats expanded their lead to six points at the 7:23 mark. At that point, Collins went to work two layups in succession before senior duo Shae Sanchez and Hayes worked to knot the game at 36 with 4:36 remaining. Sophomore Brittany Ho also had a run of four points in response to the Bearcat attack, she finished with nine points. With 1:41 Hayes made a layup and was fouled taking the lead for good with the free throw.
Heading into the fourth the RiverHawks led 46-40. It was able to fend off Northwest Missouri and close out the victory 64-56 victory. Hayes had a steal with 2:16 left and cruised down the floor for a layup pushing it to five, forcing a Bearcat timeout. Following a Molly Hartnett three-pointer with 1:18 remaining forcing head coach Fala Bullock to burn a timeout. Hayes assisted Sanchez who promptly hit a three-pointer for the first play back putting the RiverHawks up seven, three possessions.
Collins had six rebounds, four of which were offensive and Hayes’ double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds was enough to hold the lead. It was the senior guards fourth of her career, she now sits 21 points from 1,000 for her career.
