HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University women's basketball team fell in the regular season finale at Michigan Tech on Saturday (March 2) afternoon. The Huskies outscored the Wildcats 39-28 in the second half and won 71-58 from the SDC Wood Gym.

Despite the loss, NMU qualifies for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament for the second year in a row after wins by Malone and Findlay secured a third place finish in the GLIAC South. Malone is not eligible for the tournament so the 'Cats are the sixth team from the GLIAC North in the tournament and will be the No. 8 seed. Top-seeded Ashland will host NMU for the second year in a row. The GLIAC Quarterfinal game is on Wednesday (March 6) at 7 p.m.

Northern's record stands at 13-13 overall and 10-12 in the GLIAC. The Huskies improve to 19-7 overall and 17-5 in conference play.

The first half was a back and forth battle with seven lead changes. NMU took a 22-18 lead with 7:31 left on the clock after a pair of three-pointers by sophomore Courtney Lemon and layups by sophomores Alyssa Colla and Lauren Gruber. NMU trailed by two (32-20) at the break.

Tech used an 11-2 run to begin the second half to take control of the game. The home team led by as many has 18 points with two minutes left but a three-pointer by junior Annie Rubendunst and a jumper by junior Katie Becker cut the final tally to 13.

Gruber was the lone Wildcat in double figures with 15 points. She shot 6-for-10 from the field. Colla finished with eight points, five rebounds and five assists. Freshman Nea Makela and Lemon scored nine each and freshman Alyson Matkovich added eight.

As a team, NMU finished 22-for-46 (47.8 percent) from the floor, 4-for-9 (44.4) from the three-point line and 10-for-12 (83.2) from the free throw line. The 'Cats outrebounded the Huskies 31-22.

Kylie Moxley (20), Sam Hoyt (12) and Jillian Ritchie (10) scored in double figures for the Huskies. MTU shot 50 percent (25-for-52) from the floor.

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