STILL DANCING: Northern Women Stun Ashland
This story was written by NMU Sports Indformation The 57 points are the fewest the Eagles have scored this season and the fewest by AU since scoring 52 points in the NCAA Division II Championship last season. The Wildcats featured three players in double figures, as senior Darby Youngstrom (Cook, Minn.) and sophomore Lexi Smith (St. Germain, Wis.) both finished with 14 points and two assists. Smith also added four rebounds while Youngstrom had three rebounds and two steals.
The defense kept Ashland to just 37% shooting, 12% lower than their season average while the 57 points are 30 points fewer than AU averaged, as they entered tonight averaging 87.2 points per game this season. Ashland opened the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Quarterfinals matchup with four points before Youngstrom got the Wildcats on the board. Huebner then added a layup to tie the game at 4-4 with 7:39 to go in the first quarter.
NMU outscored Ashland 15-4 in the second quarter to take a lead into halftime. Hodell got the quarter started with a layup a little over two minutes into the frame. Youngstrom then capitalized on a three-point play to make it 15-14 with 5:50 left in the half. Ashland managed two free throws which Hodell answered with two of her own before Huebner gave the Wildcats a lead, 18-17, with 4:31 left in the half.
Huebner started the second half with a three but the Eagles replied with a three of their own. Smith and AU then exchanged layups but a free throw by Ashland narrowed it to 29-25 two minutes into the third quarter.
Ashland opened the fourth quarter with a jumper which Smith answered then Schultz and Lutz both made threes to put NMU up 50-37 with 5:30 to play. The Eagles responded with a three but Smith followed with a free throw to make the score 52-40 with 3:20 left to play.
NMU improves to 23-9 on the season, with the 23 wins being the most wins in a season of the Troy Mattson era, and the most wins since the 2000-01 team won 24 games. Ashland fell to 29-3 on the season. The Wildcats will now take on the Midwest Regional #1 seed, Drury University, in the Midwest Regional Semifinals. Drury is 32-0 on the season and entered the postseason ranked #1 in the NCAA. It will be the first meeting against the Panthers since the teams squared off in the 2010 Midwest Regional Semifinals. |