EDMOND, Okla. – The No. 8 Missouri Western Women's Basketball team won its 23^rd game of the season, 88-78 over Central Oklahoma. The Griffons got off to a blistering start and hung on down the stretch for the team's 17^th MIAA win of the season, the most in program history.
 
Missouri Western jumped out to an early lead, outscoring UCO 21-6 in the first quarter. The Griffons were outscored by four in the second quarter but still took a 35-24 lead to halftime. Central Oklahoma outscored the Griffons again in the second half, 54-53 but the big, early lead was enough.
 
Sarafina Handy led Missouri Western with a career-high matching 26 points. Handy broke a personal career record with six made threes in the game. LaQuinta Jefferson scored 18 points. Miliakere Koyamainavure finished with 16 points and six assists. Mhykeah Baez just missed a double-double with 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds. The Griffons shot 54.2 percent from the floor in the game and 57.1 percent from long range.
 
The Griffons stay on the road next week with a game at Northwest Missouri State on Feb. 20.