KANSAS CITY, Mo. – While the Fort Hays State University women’s basketball team won’t get a chance to take the floor at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., until Friday, the MIAA tournament kicked off in full gear Wednesday.
Fort Hays (22-6) will play at noon Friday against Pitt State (17-10), with the winner advancing to Saturday’s noon semifinal game against either No. 1 seed Central Missouri or No. 8 seed Washburn.
Four games started this year’s tournament Wednesday, with Washburn taking care of Missouri Southern and Northwest Missouri State upsetting Central Oklahoma on the women’s side.
WOMEN
Washburn 66, Missouri Southern 52
Washburn (18-11) outscored the Lions 16-6 in the second quarter to overcome a one-point deficit in the first period. A strong fourth quarter in which the Ichabods outscored Missouri Southern 21-9 sealed the victory.
Shelbe Piggie paced Washburn with 19 points, and Hunter Bentley added 17 points and eight rebounds. Reagan Phelan finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Destiny Cozart led Missouri Southern (10-18) with 20 points, five rebounds and five steals, while Zoe Campbell finished with 10 points.
Washburn will play top-seeded Central Missouri at noon Thursday.
NW Missouri State 71, Central Oklahoma 67
A solid effort by the Bearcats, especially in the second quarter, helped Northwest Missouri State take the lead and hold on for the rest of the way en route to the upset of the No. 7 seeded Bronchos.
After trailing 18-15 after the first quarter, Northwest Missouri State outscored the Bronchos 23-12 in the second period to take control.
UCO tried to rally in the second half, but the Bearcats had an answer each time.
Jaelyn Haggard keyed the Bearcats, finishing with 24 points and two steals. She went 5 of 9 from the 3-point line and hit all seven of her free throws.
Mallory McConkey added 19 points, 6 rebounds and two blocks for NWMSU.
Kelsey Johnson led the Bronchos (18-10) with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Jaci Littell chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds.
No. 10-seeded Bearcats (12-17) will play No. 2 seed Emporia State at 2:15 p.m. Thursday.
MEN
Lincoln 78, Central Oklahoma 69
The Blue Tigers, the ninth seed, took control midway through the first half Wednesday night and never relinquished it.
Central Oklahoma (11-18) nipped at the Blue Tigers’ tails late in the half, but Lincoln (11-18) was able to hold a 31-27 advantage at the break.
The Blue Tigers were hot from the field, especially from long range. Lincoln hit 9 of 17 shots from 3-point range and shot 57% from the field overall.
Lincoln pushed the lead to as many as 15 late in the second half.
Marcel Burton led Lincoln in scoring with 15 points, including nine in the second half. Bansi King had nine points at the break and finished with 14, and Cameron Potts chipped in 13. L’Kielynn Taylor led the rebounding effort with 12.
Dashon Bell paced UCO with 15 points. Colt Savage (14) and Carson Calavan (11) also hit double figures.
The win puts the Blue Tigers in Thursday’s 6 p.m. quarterfinal against defending national champion and current No. 1 team in the country, Northwest Missouri State.
Pitt State 79, Nebraska-Kearney 76 (OT)
The 10th-seeded Gorillas (11-18) pulled off another upset on the first day of the tourney.
Pitt State rallied from a five-point deficit over the final three minutes of regulation to force overtime, then outscored the Lopers 11-8 in the extra period to advance.
UNK (16-13) led 36-33 at halftime.
Jah-Kobe Womack scored the final five points of regulation for Pitt State and finished with 17 points, six rebounds and three steals.
A.J. Walker led PSU with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Christian Edmondson added 12 points. Antonio Givens II also hit double figures with 10 points.
Morgan Soucie paced UNK with 26 points and eight rebounds. Jake Walker finished with 13 points, and A.J. Jackson chipped in 12 points and eight boards.
Pitt State will play No. 2 seed Rogers State at 8:15 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals.
Central Oklahoma’s Shatoya Bryson looks to reverse the ball against the Northwest Missouri State defense during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Northwest Missouri State’s Paityn Rau applies defensive pressure to Central Oklahoma’s Kelsey Johnson during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Northwest Missouri State’s Kylie Colman forces a turnover by Central Oklahoma’s Shatoya Bryson during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Central Oklahoma’s Zoie Hayward drives against the defense of Northwest Missouri State during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Central Oklahoma’s Kelsey Johnson drives around the Northwest Missouri State defense during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Northwest Missouri State’s Jaelyn Haggard celebrates after being fouled in the final seconds of the first quarter against Central Oklahoma during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Central Oklahoma’s Kelsey Johnson is fouled by Northwest Missouri State’s Paityn Rau during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Central Oklahoma’s Shatoya Bryson steals the ball from Northwest Missouri State’s Kylie Coleman during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Northwest Missouri State’s Kylie Coleman is fouled by Central Oklahoma’s Brooke Rayner during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium. 
Northwest Missouri State’s Jaelyn Haggard celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer against Central Oklahoma during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.
Lincoln’s Marcus Cohen goes high into the air to stop a shot by Central Oklahoma’s Carson Calavan during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Lincoln’s Marcus Cohen celebrates a 3-pointer by a teammate against Central Oklahoma during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Lincoln’s Cameron Potts looks to set up the offense against Central Oklahoma during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Lincoln’s Alafia Oluwasogo drives to the hoop by the Central Oklahoma defense during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Central Oklahoma’s Dashon Bell is fouled by Lincoln’s Cameron Potts during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Central Oklahoma’s Cooper Clark goes airborne while being fouled against Lincoln during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Lincoln’s Bansi King drives by Central Oklahoma’s Cooper Clark during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Lincoln’s Cameron Potts has the ball knocked away by Central Oklahoma’s Dashon Bell (1) as Seth Hurd (5) closes in during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Lincoln’s Cameron Potts passes around Central Oklahoma’s Dashon Bell during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Central Oklahoma’s Colt Savage fires off a 3-pointer in front of the defense of Lincoln’s L’Kielynn Taylor during Wednesday’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
Pitt State’s Antonio Givens II shoots over the top of Nebraska-Kearney’s Morgan Soucie during Wednesday night’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Pitt State’s A.J. Walker sets up the offense against the defensive pressure of Nebraska-Kearney’s Jah-Kobe Womack during Wednesday night’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Nebraska-Kearney’s Jah-Kobe Womack brings the ball up the floor against Pitt State during Wednesday night’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Nebraska-Kearney’s Jake Walker drives to the hoop against the defense of Pitt State’s Xavier Womack during Wednesday night’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. 
Nebraska-Kearney’s AJ Jackson shoots around Pitt State’s Dejon Waters Jr. during Wednesday night’s MIAA tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.