NMU Ladies Smack Lake State For 4th Straight Win

Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos taken by RRN's Casey Ford. Click the AUDIO button to hear from Coach Casey Thousand. Story written by NMU Sports Information,

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan women's basketball team extended its winning streak to four games on Thursday evening, putting away the Lake Superior State Lakers with a commanding 67-44 win.

Controlling the entirety of the game, the only lead the Lakers managed was in the first five minutes. The 'Cats held the Lakers to less than 25% from the field in the second and third quarters of the game while shooting at least 50% in each of the first and second quarters themselves.

The Wildcats shot well overall, going 27-59 (45.8%) while holding LSSU to a tune of 17-56 (30.4%). Though both teams' three-point percentages were 25% or less, the 'Cats forced 16 Laker turnovers, converting for 14 points off of them. NMU also pulled down a dozen more rebounds, 44-32, while also handling scoring in the paint, 44-20.

Freshman Sydney Whitehouse paced the Wildcats with a season-high 17 points, going 6-8 from the floor. Alyssa Hill followed in points with 14, while Jacy Weisbrod was closely behind with 13 on a 3-4 mark from three. All 12 'Cats had a rebound while 11 of 12 scored.

A slow start led the Lakers to get the first two points of the game. The Wildcats quickly answered back with a Weisbrod triple from the top of the arc. The Lakers hit a layup and three-pointer soon after to hold an 8-4 lead a few minutes in, but after a timeout, Mackenzie Holzwart and Alyssa Hill made baskets to regain the lead.

NMU broke out on an 8-0 run overall, scoring all four buckets in the paint. After a 2-9 start from the field, Northern ended the first 6-7 and held a 19-13 lead.

LSSU opened the second quarter with a triple, but Whitehouse hit an and-one to answer back, and Kayla Tierney put up a layup to keep the 'Cats in the lead 25-16. Continuing with hard play, Weisbrod hit yet another three-pointer from the side to make it 34-19 with five minutes remaining before halftime. NMU started the quarter 6-6 and went on a seven-minute stretch of 12-13 from the floor dating back to the first. NMU's defense kept the Lakers in check, holding them scoreless for six minutes and leaving them 3-16 (18.8%) in the field in the second.

Northern led 39-23 at the break, shooting 15-26 (57.7%) in the half and 7-10 (70.0%) in the second quarter. Weisbrod led NMU with 11 points while Whitehouse followed with nine, each going 4-5 from the field.

Hill hit the first three baskets to get the third quarter underway. Holzwart found Newcomer making a run under the net and put up two to give the 'Cats its first 20+ point lead of the game (47-25). Whitehouse added another few points to the Wildcats' score and Madison Schroeder made her mark on the game with a jumper inside the paint. With more outstanding play, the NMU defense allowed only six points for the Lakers in the third, stretching its lead to 55-29 heading to the fourth.

Whitehouse continued to make her presence known in the fourth, notching another bucket at the rim while Schroeder followed with a jumper to further the gap up to 30 points (59-29). Hill hit one off the glass and Ava Bates found a basket with a swift layup under the net. The Lakers put up a few points in between, but ultimately NMU cruised to the finish line for the win.

Northern improved to 17-6 overall and 11-4 in conference, while LSSU dropped to 5-18 overall and 2-13 in GLIAC play.