NORTHERN MICHIGAN EDGES UMC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BY TWO POINTS

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s Basketball team had a great first and third quarter, but Northern Michigan had a better second and fourth quarters and a UMC shot at the buzzer was off the mark and Northern Michigan held on for a 50-48 victory in a game played in Marquette, Michigan.

FIRST-QUARTER –
Northern Michigan took an early 4-2 lead before UMC’s Mary Burke (Jr. Virginia) made a three-pointer to give UMC their first lead, Abigail Leach (Jr. Wyoming, MN) and Jes Mertens (Soph. Devils Lake, ND) added layups for a 9-4 lead to cap a 7-0 Golden Eagle run.  After a Northern Michigan basket, the Golden Eagles responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Alex Page (Fresh. Grand Forks, ND) and Leach for a 15-6 lead with 3:37 left in the opening quarter.  The teams exchanged baskets in the final two-plus minutes of the quarter and UMC took a 17-8 lead into the second quarter. 

SECOND-QUARTER –
Whatever was said during the quarter break in the Northern Michigan huddle after the first quarter worked well because they outscored UMC 18-6 to take a 26-23 lead into halftime.  

THIRD-QUARTER –
UMC responded in a big way to start the third quarter, so whatever was talked about at halftime sank in with the girls because they scored the first four points with two free throws from Mertens and a layup from Kylie Post (Sr. Corcoran) for a 27-26 lead one minute into the half.  The teams went back and forth for a few minutes before UMC scored four points in a row with Abi Fraaza (Fresh. Birnamwood, Wis) and Kylea Praska (Sr. Thief River Falls) making two free throws apiece.  Northern Michigan made a free throw before UMC’s Praska buried a three-pointer and Eden Golliher (Soph. Iron River, Mich) made a free throw for a 37-33 lead with 2:28 left in the quarter. UMC took a 39-37 lead into the fourth quarter. 

FOURTH-QUARTER –
Northern Michigan set the tone at the start of the fourth quarter as they started it on a 7-1 run to take a 44-40 lead with 7;48 left in the game.  UMC stopped the run with a Post basket and after a Northern Michigan layup, the Golden Eagles Mertens rattled home a three-pointer to get within a 46-45 deficit with less than four minutes remaining. UMC trailed 49-46 with 1:35 remaining.  UMC had a free throw from Page with 53 seconds to go and with seven seconds left in the game.  UMC had to foul and Northern Michigan made one free throw with four seconds left.  UMC had the ball and a Mertens shot before the buzzer was off the mark and Northern Michigan held on for a 50-48 victory. 

UMC drops to 0-3 on the year and will travel to Michigan Tech on Friday.  Northern Michigan improves to 3-0 on the year and will host Concordia-St. Paul on Friday.