Emporia State falls 63-52 to second ranked Northwest Missouri in MIAA Semifinals

March 4, 2023-A seven-minute stretch in the second half proved to be the difference in a 63-52 loss by Emporia State to second ranked Northwest Missouri on Semifinal Saturday of the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City.
 
The Bearcats jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first four minutes before the Hornets answered with an 8-2 run of their own to pull within 11-10 at the 13:11 mark. The two teams would go back and forth the remainder of the half.  Emporia State would tie the score five times but would not take the lead in the half.  Peyton Rogers-Schmidt scored on a put back with 1:49 left in the half to tie it at 26 and the Hornets had the ball twice in the next minute with a chance to take the lead, but could not convert offensively. Wes Dreamer scored inside with 18 seconds left to give the Bearcats a 28-26 lead and Alijah Comithier's jumper at the buzzer was off as NWMSU took a 28-26 lead to the locker room.
 
Emporia State was 12 of 27 from the field in the first half and two of three from the free throw line. Northwest Missouri went 11 of 22 from the field and five of seven from the charity stripe in the opening 20 minutes.  The two combined to go just one of 12 from the three-point line with the Bearcats hitting the lone trifecta.
 
Mayuom Buom started the scoring in the second half for Emporia State with a fast break layup to tie the game at 28.  After a Bennett Stirtz layup put Northwest back on top Buom hit a jumper from jut outside the lane to tie the game at 30.  On the next possession Rogers-Schmidt blocked a Stirtz layup and Kaden Evans was fouled on the fast break attempt. Evans hit one of two free throws to give the Hornets a 31-30 lead with 16:29 left.  Northwest scored the next five points on a pair of free throws from Byron Alexander followed by a three-pointer from Diego Bernard to take a 35-31 lead with 15:29 left.
 
Comithier hit a turnaround jumper with 13:59 left to bring the Hornets within 39-36 when the Bearcats went on a 13-2 run to take control.  Mitch Mascari hit the third and final three-pointer of the game with 9:01 left to give Northwest a 52-38 lead.  An 8-0 run capped by a Wes Dreamer layup with 4:53 left gave the Bearcats their biggest lead of the day at 60-40. The Hornets went on an 8-1 run to get within 13 points with 2:23 left.  On the next possession for Northwest Daniel Abreu beat the shot clock with a layup to push the lead to 63-48. A Mason Thiessen dunk got the deficit back to 13 for the Hornets. The Bearcats would drain the shot clock on their next two possessions to not leave Emporia State enough time to make the comeback.
 
Alijah Comithier had 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists to lead Emporia State. He was joined in double figures by Mayuom Buom with 11 points on five of five shooting from the field and two blocks. As a team the Hornets shot 20 of 48 from the field and 12 of 15 from the free throw line but went 0 for 11 from the three-point line.
 
Emporia State, 22-8 on the season, will now await their NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday night.  The NCAA Selection Show will be shown at 10:00 p.m. on ncaa.com. Information on a possible watch party will be made available later on Saturday.
 
NOTES:
This was the first time in 417 games that Emporia State did not make a three-pointer. The last time the Hornets went without a three was when they went 0 of 12 at Central Missouri on December 13, 2008
The 22 wins so far this season are tied for the most in a season by Emporia State since they joined the NCAA.