The Hesston College women’s basketball team traveled for a two-game road stretch, facing NCAA Division I Kansas City on Thursday, Nov. 20, and Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Saturday, Nov. 22.
Game 1: Hesston 43, University of Missouri – Kansas City 121
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hesston College women’s basketball faced one of its toughest challenges of the season on Thursday, falling 121–43 to NCAA Division I Kansas City at the Swinney Center. The Roos’ full-court pressure and transition scoring set the tone early, while the Larks battled through a physical defensive effort and found late offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter.
Kansas City jumped out to a 35–5 lead after the first quarter, scoring repeatedly in transition and knocking down three early threes. Hesston settled in during the second period behind the play of Sarah Beltran and Jenna Avery, who each hit a pair of threes to give the Larks a spark. Akiva Brown added a jumper in the lane, and Mariah Hall knocked down two free throws as Hesston posted its strongest offensive stretch of the first half, scoring 16 points before trailing 64–21 at halftime.
The third quarter brought more defensive pressure from Kansas City, which forced turnovers and turned them into quick points on the other end. Hesston continued to compete on the glass, with Brown, Hall and Anna McIntire working inside to limit second-chance opportunities. The Larks fought back again in the fourth, scoring 18 points—matching their best quarter of the night—and getting threes from Avery and freshman Elita Arapi, along with a steady scoring stretch from Brooke Bettis and Hall at the free-throw line.
Hall led Hesston with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals, while Brown added 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Beltran and Avery each scored 6, combining for four of the Larks’ seven made three-pointers. Bettis chipped in 8 points and 3 rebounds off the bench, and McIntire added 3 points and 4 rebounds. In all, 11 different Larks broke into the scoring column.
Kansas City was led by Kelby Bannerman’s 28 points and 9 rebounds and used 45 field goals and 43 fast-break points to maintain control throughout the game.
Game 2: Hesston 17, Northwestern Oklahoma State University 108
ALVA, Okla. — Hesston College women’s basketball fell 108–17 on the road Saturday against Northwestern Oklahoma State at Percefull Fieldhouse. The Rangers used strong interior scoring and full-court defensive pressure to take control early, while the Larks continued to compete on the boards and found rhythm late in the game.
Northwestern opened on a 35–0 first quarter, capitalizing on turnovers and second-chance points. Hesston broke the scoring drought in the second period behind two free throws from Mia Curtis and a three from Keira Pineda, but the Rangers’ pace pushed the halftime score to 68–5. In the fourth quarter, Anna McIntire knocked down a jumper, Presley Wilson hit a three and Akiva Brown added a late tip-in.
Pineda, Brown, McIntire, Beltran, Bettis and Wilson each scored two to three points, and Hesston shared minutes across its full rotation. Brown, McIntire and Hall helped the Larks collect 25 total rebounds, while Wilson and Avery added two steals each.
Northwestern was led by Camille Pritchard’s 19 points and 13 rebounds, with Madison Denison adding 15. The Rangers finished with 58 rebounds and 38 second-chance points.
The next game for the Larks will be on Monday, Nov. 24 against Southwestern College at home.
