Bearcats lose to host CCU in tourney finale

The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team lost a close game to Colorado Christian University 71-68 Sunday to finish 1-1 for the weekend at the CCU Tournament..

The Bearcats (4-2) held a 41-36 lead at the half.

The second half was a back and forth battle that saw five lead changes. The final Bearcat lead would come with 6:14 left in the game when Maggie Marnin caught a pass underneath the basket to push the Bearcats ahead 66-64.

CCU would regain the lead minutes later when Bre McBeth's jumper went in with 4:04 left in the contest.

The hosts would go up by three with 1:40 left as the second of two free-throws found the bottom of the net for Kayla Fakelman. Northwest could not get a clean shot off the rest of the way.

Freshman Tember Schechinger ended up with a career-high 24 points.

Sophomore Annie Mathews finished with a double-double adding 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Northwest heads to Claremore, Okla. Saturday to take on Rogers State (6-1).

Saturday's results

The Northwest Missouri State women's basketball team led from start to finish Saturday as they knocked off Texas Women's University 63-40 to open play at the Colorado Christian Tournament.

The Bearcats built an 8-0 lead before TWU scored its first points nearly four minutes into the game and never looked back.

Northwest shot 55 percent from the field in the first half and took a 42-15 lead into the break.

Post players Annie Mathews and Maggie Marnin were solid in the paint for the Bearcats as Mathews led all players with 14 points.

Marnin chipped in 13 points and eight rebounds in the win.

The Bearcats also forced 33 turnovers on 23 steals.