Gabby Curtis hits 27 as Bearcats topple Fort Hayes 71-65

Northwest Missouri State's women got their third straight win, 71-65 over Fort Hayes State as Gabby Curtis matched a career high with 27 points and Northwest survived a 31-point barrage by Traci Keyser to get the win. Northwest weathered a five minute scoreless stretch in the first half, got their second lowest point total of the year, and still managed to pull off the win. The game marked the debut for standout post player Gentry Dietz, who only had one semester of eligibility left and had to sit out the first half. Gentry showed some rust playing in her first game of the year, but led the team in rebounding with 10 as she showed she belonged on the floor. The return of Dietz changes the chemistry of the team and there are bound to be some struggles the first time out for the Bearcats. However, the hope is for the 'Cats to get better and gell by the end of January and the early part of February. The nice part about the win is that they do not have to spend the next 13 days with a bad taste in their mouths.

The Bearcats got off to a fast start as everything was falling for them. They opened the game on a 14-3 run as Tara Roach had the hot hand for them. Kyla Roehrig found her open on the top of the key, she scored another bucked off a Shelly Martin steal, and Gabby Curtis found her open on the right side. Shelly Martin added a 3-pointer off an Abby Henry drive, Henry drove to the hole and hit a shot from the right win, Curtis drove around a ball screen for a shot on the right wing, and Gentry Dietz hit a free throw.

But then Traci Keyser hit a pair of 3-pointers and two free throws as Hayes got to within 15-11 and Northwest got tentative with the ball, not attacking the basket enough. Hayes crept to within two before Abby Henry finally went to the basket and kicked it out to Curtis who hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to get Northwest going again. Abby Henry got a steal off the press, threw it to Tara Roach, who fed Abby for the drive, and she got it to Kyla Roehrig for the finish. Following another stop, Gabby Curtis pushed it up the floor and kicked it out to Shelly Martin for a 3-pointer to make it 23-15.

But then the Bearcats went into a five-minute scoreless stretch as Hayes climbed right back in the game. Northwest was getting good looks on offense, but the shots were not falling. Against Emporia, when the shots were not falling, Northwest could not buy a stop and lost. However, against Hayes, they were able to get just enough stops to win the game despite shooting only 37.7%. In the meantime, Hayes fought back to tie it at 23 before Meridee Scott finally got Northwest untracked with a free throw at the 4:21 mark. Roehrig added two more free throws, Gabby Curtis went to the rack in transition as Abby Henry pushed it up the floor, and Abby Henry inbounded it to Gentry Dietz to make it 30-26 before Shelby Hillman made a 30-foot 3-pointer to make it 30-29 at the half.

The game was tied at 32 and 34 before Northwest got in front as Gabby Curtis hit a free throw, Curtis then hit Abby Henry on the break for a 3-pointer, and then Henry scored on a steal and drive to make it 40-34. Northwest caught a break as Henry's foot was on the line. But Hayes came right back as Traci Keyser heated up again, hitting two free throws and a 3-pointer during a 7-0 run that put Hayes back in front at 41-40.

The lead changed hands a few more times until finally, Gabby Curtis began to take over the game for Northwest. Gentry Dietz lobbed the ball into Kyla Roehrig inside to make it 46-45 and put Northwest up for good, and then Dietz got a putback. Gabby Curtis got loose in transition and hit a pullup jumper, and then with the floor spread out, Abby Henry got another drive as Coach Steinmeyer was constantly telling his players to quit settling for jump shots and go the hole. Keyser connected again, but Curtis hit another pullup, faked out a defender and went down the left baseline and converted it into a free throw, and then got a steal and ran over a defender who was not set and turned that into two more free throws to make it 58-47 with eight minutes left.

Gentry Dietz made one out of two free throws and Curtis was there for the putback to keep it at 10 at 62-52, but it was only a matter of time before the next Hayes run came, and it did as Keyser started getting on the line and attacking the basket as Hayes closed to within 62-58 with 3:05 left. Dietz hit a free throw, but then Kara Champlin slipped in for Hayes to make it 63-60. All Fort Hayes needed was one more stop to give themselves the chance to tie, but Gabby Curtis would not give them that chance as she got a drive to make it 65-60. Kyla Roehrig, who had seven blocks on the night, got one in the paint and grabbed the ensuing carom and Curtis went to the hole again to make it 67-60. Hayes tried to hit a 3-pointer, but then Kyla leaped into the air to block the shot and Gentry Dietz was there for the rebound. Curtis finally missed a runner and there were some anxious moments as Dietz made a rare mistake by fouling Keyser on a 3-pointer with 33.8 seconds left. Keyser was automatic from the line and Hayes was within 67-63 with 33.8 seconds left. But Shelly Martin went four for four from the line in the closing seconds and got a steal as Hayes could not catch up at the end.