Northwest Missouri State's women did what they set out to do in the Winstead-Reeves Classic -- get to a 3-0 start before a week-long layoff. They built up a halftime lead, turned back a second-half run by Jewell, and closed the game on a 16-3 run to win 83-68 Saturday night. Gabby Curtis (20 points), whose back to back 3-pointers started the run, was named MVP. 6'5" post player Kyra Roehrig (20 points) was also named to the team. Both were recognized by Shelly (Winstead) Hiatt, daughter of the late Wayne Winstead.
Jewell used a balanced attack to stay with Northwest and even take the lead for a while. Salisbury standout Cassy Nicolay, who torched Briar Cliff for 26 points in a win the previous evening, got three points; former Benton standout Holly Switzer added four and three other players chipped in as the Cardinals, aided by some questionable calls by officials well out of position to make them, ran out to a 13-7 lead at the 11:43 mark. Gabby Curtis was the only player who was hitting for Northwest, getting the team's first seven points off a feed to the baseline from Shelly Martin (20 points), a Martin steal, and a 3-pointer from the right wing.
But after Jewell passed up on two chances to go up eight thanks to a pair of turnovers, Abby Henry (11 points, 6 steals, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) got on the line and hit a pair of free throws after getting an offensive board. Candice Boeh added another free throw and Tara Roach, normally a post player, stepped out and popped a surprise 3-pointer following a steal to tie it at 13. Shelly Martin hit a shot over a screen to cap the 8-0 run to put Northwest up 15-13.
Jewell took its last lead at 20-19 behind Nicolay's backdoor layuup with 6:12 left, but Northwest begin to take control thanks to Shelly Martin's 3-pointer from the right wing on an assist from Curtis; Ashley Thayer found Kyra Roehrig inside and then Gabby Curtis scored off a steal and drive to make it 26-20. Ashley Patton hit a 3-pointer for Jewell, but Abby Henry grabbed an errant carom and found Shelly Martin for a 3-pointer from the right side and then Shelly Martin got a steal, got it to Kyra Roehrig, who found Melissa Nyquist backdoor for a layup to make it 31-23 with 3:30 left. Jewell closed to within 33-28, but then Abby Henry worked a perfect give and go with Roehrig and then pushed it up the floor on the next play and found Martin open for a 3-pointer with 1:10 left. Martin then answered a Jewell tip-in with a beautiful fake and 20-footer and drew the foul and 3-point play to make it 41-30. Jewell put on a surprise press and got a 4-0 run to make it 41-34, but Northwest had a good possession and got some good ball movement which resulted in a good look and a Kyra Roehrig putback to make it 43-34 at the break.
Northwest opened the second half with a run as Candace Boeh kicked out to Gabby Curtis to start. Holly Switzer countered with a 3-pointer for Jewell, but then Shelly Martin answered with a drive and floater that beat the shot clock and then 6-footer Candace Boeh lived out her dream of being a point guard as she got a steal off a trap, put on a perfect spin move, and finished with the left hand to cap the run and put Northwest up 49-37 with 17:11 left. Jewell proceeded to launch some 3-pointers that kept them under 10, but then Shelly Martin kicked one out to Melissa Nyquist and then Emily Hauder lobbed one into Kyra Roherig to give Northwest its biggest lead at 58-45 so far.
But with both their main shooters, Holly Switzer and Ashley Patton on the bench, Jewell rallied as Sierra Howard hit a shot from the right side and followed with a pair of free throws as the Bearcats missed a pair of 3-pointers. Katy Colby's 3-pointer closed back to six at the 11:49 mark. Kyra Roehrig scored off a Hauder drive and then added a putback to make it 62-52 at the 9:34 mark, but then Howard connected again from the top of the key and then Colby's steal made it 62-56. Switzer came back in and drew a 3-point play to close to within 65-63 and then Jessie Wheeler's free throws following a bogus foul call on Tara Roach made it a two-point game again at 67-65.
But then all of a sudden Northwest, which had been missing 3-pointers all half, suddenly got two to drop as Abby Henry found Gabby Curtis on consecutive plays for back-to-back 3-pointers to give Northwest some breathing room again at 73-65 with 4:21 left. Following a Jewell turnover, Tara Roach lobbed it into Roehrig, and the 6'5" player's shot bounced forever on the rim before finally going in to make it 75-65. Chelsea Meeks countered with a 3-pointer for Jewell and the Cardinals got the ball back with a chance to cut it to four or five, but Ashley Patton missed a shot and then Roehrig's 3rd-chance putback following a drive from Abby Henry make it 77-68 with 2:06 left. At that point, Jewell was forced to foul and Northwest went six for six down the stretch with Abby Henry going 4 for 4 and Shelly Martin going 2 for 2 from the line.
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