MARQUETTE, Mich. — Four Wildcat starters scored in the double digits as the Northern Michigan women's basketball team downed Tiffin, 65-60, Saturday afternoon at the Berry Events Center.

The teams were tied at 58 all with 2:44 remaining, but the Wildcats secured the victory by closing out the game on a 7-2 run, fueled by five made free throws and a Bre Gaspervich layup.

Northern Michigan opened the game by running out to an 8-2 lead at 6:53, highlighted by the first of Gaspervich's three three-pointers. But the Dragons regrouped, with Kaylee Patton hitting two-straight three-pointers to tie the game at eight by the 4:51 mark. From that point on, the teams traded points, but the Wildcats held a slim 17-15 at the break thanks to Chloe Tompkins jump shot with 52 seconds remaining.

Northern Michigan used a 6-3 run at the end of the second quarter to take a 34-29 lead into the half. The Wildcats held Tiffin off the scoresheet from the 4:06 mark of the quarter until the final six seconds, when Jordan Fraley made a three-point shot to cut into the Northern Michigan advantage.

The Dragons took their first lead since the 2:17 mark of the first quarter on a Bre Nauman three-point shot that beat the third quarter buzzer. In the third, Tiffin outscored the Wildcats, 18-12, to take that 47-46 lead.

Tompkins regained the lead for Northern Michigan in the first 20 seconds of the final quarter, hitting a deep three-point shot, but Patton evened the score on the next Dragon possession. The teams were tied two more times in the fourth, but the Wildcats posted six more points in the quarter to pull ahead. 

Tompkins (16), Gaspervich (15), Taylor Hodell (13) and Kendall Martenet (11) reached the double digits in scoring. Martenet and Darby Youngstrom tied for the game-high with eight rebounds.

Northern Michigan went 6 for 16 from beyond the arc and 15 of 21 at the free throw line.

With their 2016 opening win, the Wildcats improve to 3-8 (2-3 GLIAC). They close their home stand tomorrow against Ohio Dominican at 3 p.m.