ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Griffon Women's Basketball (6-13, 2-8 MIAA) is back on the road Saturday, going to Maryville to rematch Northwest Missouri State (10-10, 3-7 MIAA). Tip-off from Bearcat Arena is set for 1:30 p.m.
 
The game will be broadcast live on the Griffon Sports Network (Varsity Network App, GoGriffons.com/listen) with Voice of the Griffons Tommy Rezac on the call. Pregame coverage will start at 1:15 p.m.
 
The game can also be streamed on the MIAA Network with a subscription. This game is a rematch of a December 2, 2025 contest in St. Joseph, which Northwest won 62-48. MoWest looks to avoid being swept by the Bearcats in the regular season for the first time since the 2020-21 season.

Where We Left Off
Griffon Women's Basketball was unable to overcome an explosive first half from Washburn last Friday evening in Topeka, falling 71–55 at Lee Arena.
 
MoWest got down by 23 points at halftime, got it to within eight points in the fourth quarter, but never closer. Mia Morel scored 15 points on 3-of-11 shooting, hitting one three-pointer and going 8-for-10 at the free-throw line, while adding five rebounds, one assist and two steals in 40 minutes.
 
Ana Oliveira Dias also finished with 15 points, shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, while contributing three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Nakiya Harris added nine points on 4-of-10 shooting seven rebounds.
 
First Half Hindrances
MoWest has gotten off to slow starts in first halves this season, trailing at halftime 11 times this season by an average margin of 12.7 points. MoWest is 1-11 this season when down or tied at halftime. Meanwhile, the Griffons are 5-2 this season when leading at halftime.
 
Schedule Strength
MoWest's strength of schedule is ranked as No. 3 toughest in NCAA Division II, per the Massey Ratings, with four of its first six opponents being ranked 13th or higher. MoWest has one game left against a ranked opponent this season - at No. 11 Pittsburg State on February 11. MoWest will have faced six total teams this season that made the NCAA tournament in 2024-25, and five teams that finished last season ranked inside the top 13 in the WBCA Coaches' Poll.
 
Staying Sharp from Long Range
MoWest continues to be a threat from beyond the arc, ranking No. 1 in the MIAA and No. 14 in NCAA Division II with 154 made three-pointers for an average of 8.1 makes per game (No. 1 MIAA, No. 14 nation). The Griffs have sunk 33.3% of their attempts from deep (No. 2 MIAA). Mia Morel leads the way with 38 made three-pointers (No. 4 MIAA), shooting 33.3% from deep (No. 3 MIAA).
 
Worth Noting
MoWest ranks No. 2 in the MIAA in total steals (186) and steals per game (9.79). Ana Oliveira Dias is the MIAA leader in steals (42), averaging 2.3 swipes per game.
 
Opponent at a Glance
Northwest Missouri State (10-10, 3-7 MIAA) has had a hard time since getting off to a 9-3 start, going 1-7 in their last eight games. The Bearcats are currently on a four-game losing streak, most recently falling at Central Missouri last Friday, 77-59.
 
Northwest returned only 25% of its scoring from last season. The Bearcats graduated five seniors last year - three of whom were the top three scorers. The 'Cats added three freshmen and three transfers.
 
One of those newcomers, junior and Black Hawk CC transfer Andrea Lopreato, leads Northwest in scoring with 12 points per game. True freshman Bailey Birmingham is close behind with 10.9 points per contest. Birmingham leads the MIAA in three-point percentage, hitting 37.1% from long range (46-of-124).
 
Elsewhere, sophomore Sadie Maas has impressed with 7.7 rebounds per game (9th MIAA) and 42 blocked shots (2nd MIAA, t-8th nation).
 
As usual, defense is the strength of head coach Austin Meyer's team, with Northwest holding opponents to 59 ppg (2nd MIAA). The Bearcats also rank No. 2 in the league in blocked shots (86), averaging 4.3 of them per game.
 
Series History
Saturday marks the 85th all-time meeting with Northwest. MoWest leads the series 51-33 and has won seven of the last eight meetings dating back to 2022. The Griffons have also been victorious in each of their last three trips to Bearcat Arena.