BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Thursday night at Ferris State University the Northern Michigan University women's basketball team held a one-point edge after 20 minutes of play against the Bulldogs (36-35). NMU only made nine field goals and shot 32.1 percent from the floor for the second half and were outscored 29-23 and dropped the game 64-59.

 

The Wildcats fall to 8-13 overall and 3-10 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). FSU improves to 14-8 and 9-4 respectively.

 

With the scored tied at four-all less than two minutes into the game the 'Cats went on a 10-4 to take a 14-8 lead. Kelsey Deacon made a pair of three-pointers during the run. The 'Cats held the lead for the next seven minutes as key points came from Allison Carroll and Angie Leckson. At 9:49 the Bulldogs tied the game at 18-all before Carroll hit two free throws to give NMU the 20-18 lead. With NMU down by one about 20 seconds later, Carroll converted a three-point play the old school way to give the 'Cats a 23-21 lead. FSU held the led until Leckson hit from the arc at 7:01 to put NMU back on top 28-26. FSU tied the game for the fourth time about two minutes later at 28-all. Carroll made back-to-back jumpers to give the 'Cats a 32-29 lead. Steffani Stoeger made a layup with 31 ticks left on the clock in the half to give the 'Cats the lead at the half (36-35). Carroll ended the half with 17 points.

 

Deacon made the first basket of the second half to give the 'Cats a three-point cushion (38-35). FSU tied the game at 38-all.  At 16:23 Leckson made a layup to give NMU its final lead of the game at 40-39. FSU had a five-point lead at 13:07 (47-42) as the 'Cats had the lad down to one point thanks to a three-pointer by Cassi Rushford and a layup by Leckson (48-47) with 10:24 left in the game. FSU built another five-point lead before Carroll converted another three-point play at 8:21 (54-52). The Bulldogs went on a mini run to take an eight-point lead (60-52) with less than four minutes left in the game.   With about two minutes left in the game, Kellie Rietveld made a layup with the 'Cats down by two points (60-58). That would be as close as the 'Cats would get for the game.

 

Carroll led all scorers with 24 points. She also added a team-high five rebounds. Leckson ended the contest with 11 points while Deacon added 10. Rachel Folcik led FSU with 11 points. 

 

NMU was 23-54 from the floor for the game (42.6 percent). The 'Cats only made four three-pointers in 16 attempts (25 percent). Deacon had two of the four while Leckson and Rushford added one each. NMU was 9-11 from the free throw line (81.8 percent). The Bulldogs had a three-rebound edge on the 'Cats (32-29). Each team had 20 turnovers for the game. Steals were almost even as NMU had one more than FSU (11-10).

 

NMU will be at Grand Valley State on Saturday (Feb. 9) for the second game on its current road swing.