MARQUETTE, Mich. -- The Northern Michigan University women's basketball team kept it close for a majority of the game before No. 19 Michigan Technological University pulled away to a 63-49 win.

The teams battled back and forth in the opening minutes of the game. Down 6-5, Elizabeth Lutz gave the Wildcats their only lead of the game.

Michigan Tech answered back with a made three-point jumper. NMU tied the game on a made basket from Elena Alaix.

In the second quarter, the teams kept it close with neither team able to pull ahead by more than single digits. The Wildcats finished the first half trailing 27-22.

Andrea Perez gave NMU a boost to start the second half with a made three-point shot to pull the Wildcats within two. The gap closed even more with 3:12 left in the third when Makaylee Kuhn made a game-tying jump shot. 

With 7:46 left in the game NMU run out of gas as the Huskies closed out the game with an 8-0 run to earn the 63-49 victory.

Alaix led the Wildcats in the scoring column with 15 points followed by Kayla Tierney with 12. Samantha Potter led NMU in rebounding with 11 boards.

The Wildcats won the overall rebounding battle 33-28 and dished out one more assist than MTU for a total of 9.

The women's team takes the court again on Friday, Feb. 19 when they face Davenport University in Grand Rapids at 5 p.m. They will play the second game of the weekend series on Saturday at 1 p.m.