NMU Women Top Saginaw To Earn Weekend Split

Stories and photo courtesy of NMU Sports Information

SUNDAY GAME RECAP

MARQUETTE, Mich. -- The Northern Michigan University women's basketball team bounced back Sunday to earn the weekend split with Saginaw Valley State University, 61-45, and improve to 3-1 on the season.

The Wildcats looked to have a slow start against the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe in SVSU, going down 10-4 early in the first quarter but were able to knot things up after 10 minutes of play and never looked back.

After forcing six turnovers in the latter part of the opening quarter, the women gained their first lead of the day with 8:34 left in the second stanza when Mueller hit a jump shot for two to make it 12-10, Wildcats.

The women went on an 18-7 run during the second period of play to lead the Cardinals, 28-17, as both teams headed to the locker rooms.

At the half, Kayla Tierney led the team in points with nine while Makaylee Kuhn had picked up six rebounds on the defensive side of the court. Elizabeth Lutz led the team in assists (four) through the first 20 minutes of play.

The women continued their successful outing in the second half, shooting 41.7 percent from the field to take the 44-30 lead going into the final quarter of play. The team then finished it out with a 17-point final quarter for the 61-45 final.

After taking the lead in the second quarter, the women remained on top for the final 28:49 of play.

Three Wildcats posted double-digit points, including Kuhn who picked up the double-double with a team-best 16 points and 13 rebounds. Samantha Potter was second on the team in points with 13, while Mueller added 12 of her own to the final tally.

SATURDAY GAME RECAP

MARQUETTE, Mich. -- The Northern Michigan University women's basketball team was handed their first loss of the season Saturday afternoon as they fell to Saginaw Valley State University, 56-52.

The women opened their home slate of competition Saturday afternoon with their first of two contests against the Cardinals. Emily Mueller had the Wildcats out front ealy, registering the first four points of the game for either team. Makaylee Kuhn hopped back to sink a quick three-pointer to give her team the 7-0 lead through the first two minutes of play.

SVSU answered with a few baskets of their own but the Wildcats were relentless and refused to give up the lead they built early in the first quarter. After 10 minutes of play, the Wildcat women owned a 22-12 advantage on the scoreboard.

The second quarter closely mirrored the first, with the Wildcats heading to the locker room up by 10 points again, 32-22.

The second half opened with the Cardinals rallying, eventually coming within one point before the Wildcats jumped back out in front with a four-point lead late in the period.

NMU fought hard but the Cardinals managed to knot the game at 42-42 just 52 seconds into the final quarter before allowing them to take their first lead of the game six seconds later with a made three-point shot.

Despite a valiant effort by the Wildcats late in the half, the team was unable to get back on top of the Cardinals and ultimately tallied their first loss of the year with the 56-52 final.

For the second straight game, Kuhn led the team in points, registering 18 in the loss while Elena Alaix posted double digit figures with 10 points of her own.

Six individuals registered stolen balls in the game while the team posted 27 rebounds, including 20 on the defensive side of the court.

Kuhn led the squad in rebounds (seven) and Mueller had a team-best performance in assists, picking up three in the loss.