The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team swept the weekend after defeating the University of Findlay, 59-49 on Saturday (Dec. 8) in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup. With the win, the ‘Cats improve to 6-2 and 3-1 in the GLIAC and handed Findlay its first loss of the season to fall to 5-1 and 3-1 in the conference.
Northern led the game from start to finish. The game started on a layup by freshman guard Anna Liewen, and the ‘Cats went up 8-0 before Findlay got on the board. With six minutes to go in the half, the Oilers came within one point of NMU, 17-16. But were unable to go ahead, allowing Northern to have the 31-28 halftime lead.
In the second half, NMU took a nine point lead in the first five minutes of play to go up, 37-28. Four minutes later, the Oilers tied the game at 37 on a jumper by Kayla Brown. NMU quickly regained the lead on a made shot beyond the arc by sophomore guard Alyssa Colla to go up 40-37. It was all the ‘Cats for the rest of the game. Findlay got within three points and were down by as much as 16 in the last five minutes to play.
Sophomore guard Lauren Gruber led for NMU with 16 points on four three-pointers. Sophomore forward Abbey DeBruin added 13 with one bucket beyond the arc, two field goals and went 6-for-7 from the charity stripe. Closing out double digits was Colla with 11. Liewen tallied six rebounds on four offensive and two defensive board. DeBruin tallied five, while freshman forward Nea Makela added four.
The ‘Cats shot 41 percent for the game after going 19-for-46, and were 72 percent from the free throw line. The Oilers shot 27 percent on 14-for-51 and were 19-for-20 (95 percent) from the free throw line. NMU finished the evening out rebounding Findlay, 39-28, and committed 29 turnovers to the Oilers 23.
Leading the way for Findlay was Lacey Kessler with 13 points on three field goals and went 7-for-8 from the free throw line. Brown added 12 points.
NMU will take eight days off before traveling to Ohio for a pair of GLIAC games. The ‘Cats will face Ohio Dominican next Sunday (Dec. 16) at 7:30 p.m., and then take on Tiffin on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m
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