It was the biggest upset in the history of the MIAA Women’s Basketball Championships.
The No. 12-seeded Missouri Western Griffons knocked off No. 5-seed Nebraska Kearney, 60-57 Monday night to become the first 12-seed to ever win a game in the MIAA Championships. Missouri Western snapped a six-game losing streak and won on the road for just the second time all season and the first time against an MIAA opponent.
Missouri Western outscored the Lopers 21-13 in the fourth quarter to earn the victory. Down by seven with 6:53 left, the Griffons went on an 8-0 run capped by back-to-back three-pointers by Mania Timson and Melia Richardson to take a one-point lead with 4:50 left. UNK answered to take a two-point lead, but the Griffons outscored the Lopers 8-3 over the final 3:33 to secure the team’s first postseason win since defeating Nebraska Kearney in the MIAA quarterfinals in 2016.
The Griffons advanced to the MIAA quarterfinals where they will face No. 4-seeded Central Oklahoma on Thursday, March 1 at approximately 8:15 p.m.