From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Center Mandi Schumacher scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Northwest Missouri State upset top-seeded Washburn 59-56 Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the MIAA Basketball Championships at Municipal Auditorium.
The fifth-seeded Bearcats (16-13) ended Washburn’s three-year reign as conference postseason tournament champion. The Bearcats play third-seeded Southwest Baptist (21-8) in today’s 1 p.m. championship game.
Since the MIAA began its women’s postseason tournament in 1983, this is just the second time that the championship game does not include either of the top two seeds. In 1996 sixth-seeded Missouri Southern won over fourth-seeded Southwest Baptist.
It’s also the first time since 1997 that neither Washburn or Emporia State made the championship game. Emporia State, the No. 2 seed, lost to Truman State in the first round.
Washburn (23-6) trailed 33-26 in the first minute of the second half but rallied to take a 43-40 lead on Janice Bright’s 3-pointer with 13:46 left. But Lauren Williams and Kelli Nelson, who finished with 12 points apiece, regained control and owned a seven-point lead with 22 seconds left.
A three-point playby Amanda Holmes and trey by Corkey Stiger sliced the deficit to two with eight seconds left. Williams made one free throw for a three-point lead, and Washburn couldn’t get a good look at the basket in the final five seconds.
Stiger led all scorers with 19 points — 16 in the first half.
SBU 75, Truman State 70
Southwest Baptist built a 19-point second half advantage but had to withstand a late surge by the Bulldogs.
Guard Erika Souza tallied 22 points to lead SBU. Center Kelly Reinkemeyer and forward Courtney Creed added 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Center Georgia Mueller and guard Candace McGee had 18 points apiece for the Bulldogs (16-13).
Men’s semifinals
Guard DeAndre Townsend poured in 30 points as Emporia State downed Fort Hays State 71-63 Saturday night, becoming the first No. 8 seed in any MIAA Postseason Tournament to reach the championship game.
The Hornets (14-15) play second-seeded Northwest Missouri State (22-7) in the championship game today at 3:30 p.m. The Bearcats rallied from a nine-point deficit to nip sixth-seeded Washburn 50-49 in the late semifinal.
Townsend scored eight points during a 15-0 run early in the second half that gave the Hornets a 45-36 lead with 13:26 remaining.
LaTravis Turner led the Tigers (19-10) with 15 points.
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