Kearney, Neb.- The NW Missouri State women's basketball team forced 29 turnovers and got 26 points from junior guard Abby Henry to beat Nebraska-Kearney, 81-75, Monday night in Maryville, Mo.

UNK falls to 0-2 on the young season while the Bearcats win their season opener.

The Lopers scored the first basket of the game by senior post Megan Becker (Southern Valley H.S.) before NW Missouri State scored the next four points to lead at the 18:26 mark.

A back and forth battle, neither team held a lead larger than five points the rest of the half. UNK would hold a one point lead, 35-34, going into the break.

UNK's last lead of the game, 46-44, would be at the 14:33 mark of the second half when junior wing Vanessa Leeper (Colorado Springs, Colo.) hit a three pointer. Northwest followed with a 15-4 run over the next four minutes to grab a 58-52 lead going into the under ten media timeout.

The Lopers answered by going on a 11-5 run of its own to tie the game for the final time at 63 all with six minutes left. During this spurt, junior wing Lea Ann Jameson (Minden) and junior guard Kim Rickels (Iowa City, Ia.) went a combined 5 for 5 at the line. 

The tie was short lived, however, as the Bearcats scored nine straight and UNK didn't get closer then three points the rest of the way. Henry scored five of her points during this stretch with a Loper technical foul, called for taking too many time outs, aiding the run.

On the night, the Bearcats had advantages in bench points, 38-17, fast break points, 18-10, points off of turnovers, 26-17, and made threes, 10-4.

The Lopers out rebounded, 42-37, and out shot, 50.0-38.7, Northwest but made just 11 of 19 free throws (57.9 pct.).

Leeper led the Lopers in scoring, tying her career high with 20 points on 8 of 15 shooting from the floor. She tallied 15 after the break by making 6 of 9 shots. 

Making 9 of 12 shots on the night, Becker had 13 of her 19 points in the first half with freshman guard Nicole Arp (Kearney) chipping in 10 points and five assists. Finally, Rickels had a career-high nine points and tied Becker for the team lead in rebounds (seven) in 22 minutes off the bench.

A Creight Prep grad who tallied 17 points per game last year, Henry (Omaha) made 10 of 22 shots, including 4 of 11 threes. Scoring 14 in the second half, she also had five assists and two steals.

Also for Northwest, guards Gabby Curtis (12) and Shelly Martin (11) each scored in double digits as did Papillion native and reserve post Kyla Roehrig (10).

Nebraska Kearney is on the road once again Saturday afternoon against another MIAA foe in Fort Hays State.