February 28, 2026-In a game that saw 12 ties and 11 lead changes Northwest Missouri  scored the final two points on a pair of free throws with 1:21 left for a 71-70 win over the Lady Hornets in White Auditorium.
 
WHAT HAPPENED
The first quarter saw neither team have more than a one possession lead and the score was tied at 16 after the first ten minutes. After the Bearcats went up 26-22 with 6:41 left in the half, the Lady Hornets responded with a 7-0 run to take a 29-26 lead on a Macey Gandee and one out of the media time out with 5:00 left. Emporia State held the lead the remainder of the period and took a 39-34 lead into the break.
Northwest Missouri used a 14-4 run over the first six minutes of the second half to take a 48-43 lead. Emporia State answered with a 13-3 run of their own to end the period and take a 56-51 lead into the fourth.
A Brooklyn Stanley three-pointer put the Bearcats ahead 64-61 with 5:08 left but Vanessa Coleman answered for the Lady Hornets less than a minute later with a three of her own to tie the game at 64. Stanley would hit another three with 2:26 left to put Northwest up 69-64.   Kaitlyn Sanders then scored six straight points on an old fashioned three-point play followed by a three-pointer with 1:34 left to give Emporia State a 70-69 lead.  On the ensuing possession ESU was called for a foul and Bailey Birmingham converted both free throws to put NWMSU up 71-70. The Lady Hornets were called for an offensive foul on their next possession with 53 seconds left but were able to force a shot clock violation on the Bearcats with 22.2 seconds left. Gracie Gilpin had a shot with under two seconds left but Sadie Maas got the block to end the game.
 
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Kaitlyn Sanders led four Lady Hornets in double figures with 22 points.  Vanessa Coleman scored 12 while Macey Gandee and Lexsey DeWitt each scored 11 points.
 
UP NEXT
Emporia State has advanced to the MIAA Tournament for the 30th consecutive season. They will take on Northeastern State on Wednesday, March 4 at 12 noon at Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City.
 
NOTES
With five points Gracie Gilpin moved past Kristie Nelson-Lackey (1,028 pts from 1986-90) into 31st on the Lady Hornet career scoring list. She now has 1,032 points and needs three points to tie Kathryn Flott (1,035 pts from 2011-12, 2015-17) for 30th and five points to tie Jessica Wayne (1,037 pts from 2016-20) for 29th on the list.