MARQUETTE, Mich. -- The Northern Michigan University women's basketball team defeated the Lake Superior State University Lakers in convincing fashion, taking Saturday's (Dec. 11) contest by a 78-50 score.

STAT LEADERS
Vivianne Jende led the Wildcats in points, recording 12 on Saturday afternoon.

With six rebounds a piece, Samantha Potter and Andrea Perez each picked up a team-best in rebounds while Makaylee Kuhn and Ana Rhude had five each.

Kayla Tierney recorded three steals in the game, a Wildcat best.

FIRST QUARTER
The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead as Elizabeth Lutz sunk a three-point shot for the first basket of the game.

There was lots of back-and-forth action through the first five minutes of play with NMU holding a 15-6 lead halfway through the quarter.

Kayla Tierney brought the NMU lead to double digits with just under four minutes to go in the quarter, hitting a shot from outside the arc to make it 18-6.

The Lakers continued to press the Wildcat defensive end of the court but were no match for the home team as Andrea Perez hit a three-point shot with 50 seconds to play, making it a 23-12 game.

The Wildcats carried a 25-17 lead into the second quarter behind a late basket from Ana Rhude.

SECOND QUARTER
The second quarter saw much of the same as the first, with the Wildcats and Lakers continuing to push each other and the home team maintaining a high single-digit lead, up 31-23 halfway through the frame. 

After a brief media timeout, the Wildcats regained possession and extended their lead to 10 with a made layup by Samantha Potter.

Lutz hit a handful of three-point shots in the latter half of the quarter to make it a 41-27 game with two minutes to play.

LSSU sank three free throws to end the first half

FIRST HALF LEADERS
Lutz led the team in points through the first half of the game, hitting three shots from beyond the arc for nine points total.

Makaylee Kuhn and Rhude each grabbed four boards in the opening half for a team high as NMU recorded 19 rebounds through 20 minutes of action.

Kuhn also led the team in assists with four while Lutz had one blocked shot, the lone block of the game.

After hitting the first shot 26 seconds into the game, the Wildcats held the lead for nearly the entire first half, never relenting the edge despite LSSU's pressure.

THIRD QUARTER
The first basket of the second half came nearly three minutes in as the Lakers hit a three-point shot to cut the Wildcats' lead to eight, up 41-33.

After a series of passes, the Wildcats got back out to the double-digit lead when Rhude was fouled in the paint to draw the and-one. Her basket and ensuing free throw gave NMU the 48-35 lead with five minutes to play in the quarter.

A pair of three-pointers from Tierney and Mackenzie Holzwart extended the Wildcats' lead to 54-36 and forced the visiting Lakers to call timeout to regroup.

Vivianne Jende gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game with 2:42 to play in the third quarter, hitting a jump shot from the rails to make it 56-36.

At the end of three quarters, the Wildcats continued to hold an impressive lead over the Lakers, 58-40.

FOURTH QUARTER
Taya Stevenson recorded two steals early in the final quarter of play as the Wildcats extended their lead, making it a 62-42 game less than two minutes in.

Madigan Johns entered the game partway through the fourth quarter and drew a foul on her layup to make it 67-44, Wildcats, with six minutes remaining in regulation.

CJ Romero made it a 26-point game with a quick jump shot beyond the arc, with Alyssa Nimz recording the assist on the play.

The Wildcats continued with their strong offensive presence through the end of the game, ultimately topping the Lakers 78-50 to improve to 6-4 on the season and 2-2 in the GLIAC.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats conclude the 2021 calendar year with a trip to the University of Illinois - Springfield on Saturday, Dec. 18. 

NMU returns to the Berry Events Center to open the new year on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022 when they face Finlandia University. Tip-off on 2022 is set for 1 p.m.