HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech women's basketball team dropped a 74-46 decision to a red-hot No. 14 nationally-ranked Northern Michigan team backed by a career-high 27 points by Sarah Newcomer at the SDC Gymnasium on Thursday evening.
"We've got to come out and execute better to start–offensively and defensively," said Michigan Tech head coach Sam Clayton. "I know Northern is a really good team and I thought they got to do what they wanted. We didn't move the ball at all and tried going one-on-one and didn't play inside out."
Michigan Tech (9-4, 3-2 GLIAC) trailed from the opening tip as the visitors knocked down their first three shots, two from distance and held a nine-point lead twice, at the 7:07 mark (11-2) and to conclude the quarter (19-10).
Both teams endured scoring droughts and struggled to take care of the ball, as the duo combined for 11 turnovers in 10 minutes. Sarah Newcomer was the difference maker with 11 points on 5-8 shooting and 4-7 from trey.
Northern Michigan (13-2, 4-1 GLIAC) could do no wrong in the second quarter, opening the stanza on a 14-4 run extending to the 4:43 mark, finishing the quarter by outscoring the Huskies 25-10 on 9-14 shooting (64.3) while connecting on 3-5 3-pointers to head into halftime with the largest lead of the day at 44-20. NMU's defense stood tall, holding the Huskies without a 3-pointer through halftime (0-7) and 8-27 from the field (29.6%) while handily winning the rebounding battle 22-13.
The Wildcats continued to handle the Huskies in the second half, holding the Black & Gold to 10 points in the third quarter while pouring on 20. NMU earned its largest lead late in the third quarter following free throws by CJ Romero (64-28).
After scoring 10 points in each of the first three quarters, the Huskies won the fourth quarter 16-10 with Kendall Standfest hitting the first 3-pointer of the game at the 6:16 mark, although the Wildcats would go on to win 74-46.
Alyssa Wypych led the team in scoring with nine points as five Huskies accrued three rebounds.
Alyssa Hill had a game-high eight boards to go with 16 points.
Up Next
The Huskies will wrap up four games at home on Saturday, welcoming another ranked opponent, No. 22 Ferris State, to the SDC Gymnasium, slated for a noon tipoff.
