MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW
#12  Missouri Western (12-17) vs #4 Central Oklahoma (22-6)
Thursday, March 1 - 8:15 p.m. - Municipal Auditorium - Kansas City, Mo. 
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ST. JOSEPH - It would be hard to call it a revenge match, but one of the teams will certainly have the chance to avenge a loss to the other in Thursday night's MIAA Quarterfinal game between Missouri Western and Central Oklahoma. 

The No. 4-seeded Bronchos ended the Griffons' season last year in the MIAA Quarterfinals and No. 12-seed Missouri Western was one of just six teams to defeat Central Oklahoma this season. The previous match-up came back on Nov. 30 in the first MIAA game of the season for both teams, but forced UCO into a tie for fourth place in the MIAA standings. A win for the Bronchos in St. Joseph, had everything else played out the same, would have put UCO in a tie for third place at the end of the season. 

Missouri Western is into the quarterfinals after a historical upset in the first round of the MIAA Championships. The Griffons 60-57 win at No. 5-seed Nebraska Kearney made MWSU the first-ever 12-seed to win in the MIAA Championships. Now, the Griffons will try to become the lowest seed to ever win a quarterfinal game. Lindenwood advanced to the semifinals last year as the No. 9-seed and Southwest Baptist made it to the semifinals as the No. 11 seed in 2014. Those were the two lowest seeds to win a quarterfinal game in the current format of the postseason tournament. 

The numbers would indicate a low-scoring game Thursday night. Missouri Western averaged 51 points over its last 11 games while holding opponents to 59 points per game in the same span. Central Oklahoma ranks third in the MIAA in scoring defense (60.4) and ninth in scoring offense (69.5). The winner moves on to the semifinals on Saturday against either No. 1-seed Central Missouri or No. 9-seed Lindenwood.