STRONG FINISH: NMU Women Blow Past Ferris

This story was written by NMU Sports Information

MARQUETTE---Northern Michigan University Women's Basketball outscored Ferris State University 27-4 in the final 14 minutes to pick up a 65-51 victory in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference Quarterfinals. The team will now move on to the GLIAC Semifinals.

Junior Jessica Schultz (Mineral Point, Wis.) finished the game with 19 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for the second double-double of her career and first since her freshman season. She also posted three blocked shots.

Junior Erin Honkala (Howell, Mich.) added 12 points and five rebounds. Senior Sydney Dillinger (Houghton, Mich.) and sophomore Elizabeth Lutz (Marshall, Wis.) notched 10 points each.

Senior Darby Youngstrom (Cook, Minn.) finished the night with six points along with seven rebounds and seven assists.

As a team, the Wildcats outscored the Bulldogs 30-14 in the paint and allowed just three points in the fourth quarter. Ferris State finished just 35% from the field and 28% from three-point range.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-2 lead with Youngstrom getting the lone NMU score. She then added a free throw before Honkala converted an and-one to tie the score at 6-6 with 3:09 left in the quarter.

Schultz gave NMU the lead but Ferris State tied it on their next possession. Lutz answered with two free throws then Honkala hit a jumper and two free throws to give NMU a 14-8 lead after the first 10 minutes.

Sophomore Amber Huebner (Marquette, Mich.) made a three at the five minute mark to give the Wildcats a 23-22 lead, but FSU replied with a three. Youngstrom followed with a free throw which the Bulldogs answered with a jumper. Schultz then made a layup but another Ferris State jumper made the score 29-26.

Dillinger made a jumper to open the second quarter but the Bulldogs fought back to make it 16-14. Dillinger added two free throws and a jumper for NMU to make it 20-14 but the guests again bounced back and eventually took a 22-20 lead.

Senior Tess Weatherly (Howell, Mich.) sank two free throws but a three by FSU gave the Bulldogs a 32-28 advantage. Schultz inched NMU closer with a layup but the guests managed to take a 32-30 lead into the break.

Weatherly scored the first NMU basket of the third period by hitting a three to answer an FSU layup but a Ferris State rally pulled them ahead. Lutz stopped the run with a three to bring the score to 43-36. FSU answered with a jumper but Schultz followed with a layup. FSU added another basket to take a 47-38 lead with four minutes to go in the quarter.

NMU closed the gap by finishing the quarter on a 10-1 run. A Schultz basket started the surge, followed by a Dillinger free throw. Honkala followed with a layup before Dillinger nailed a three from the corner to make it 47-46 with a minute left. Ferris State added a free throw but Youngstrom closed the quarter with a layup and tied the game at 48-48 as the team's prepared for the fourth quarter.

Both teams scored early, with Schultz scoring for NMU. Honkala and Schultz then added layups before Lutz drilled one from behind the arc. Schultz followed with a layup and made the score 59-50 with six minutes left of play.

After a Honkala free throw, Schultz made a three and made it 63-50 with 2:31 to go. Lutz made a layup with 1:19 on the clock and FSU managed a free throw as the Wildcats captured the 65-51 victory. NMU outscored the Bulldogs 17-3 in the fourth quarter, holding them to just 1-9 from the floor and 11% shooting.

The Wildcats improved to 21-8 and will continue their season by heading to Grand Valley State University on Saturday for the GLIAC Semifinals. GVSU is the top seed in the GLIAC Tournament and are also ranked #7 in the country. The teams split their season series with the Wildcats giving the Lakers their only GLIAC defeat of the season.