Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, hear post-game comments from Coach Matt Gregory, and listen to Alaina Trudeau's player spotlight interview.

ESCANABA---The Bay College Norse women's basketball team battled back from a double digit deficit on Saturday, but lost a nailbiter to the Gogebic Community College Samsons, 56-52, at the Bay College Gym.

The Norse had to settle for a season-opening split after they beat Harper College (Ill.), 55-34, Friday night. Bay shot just 49-percent from the foul line and missed a couple of easy lay-ups that contributed to Saturday afternoon's loss.

The Norse had only seven players on the court Saturday, and five played the vast majority of the minutes. That's because Emma Rutter and Tianna Taylor literally got back from Detroit with the Norse volleyball team Friday night as that season ended in the conference tournament.

Norse Coach Matt Gregory says by the fourth quarter of Saturday's game, his players were gassed.

“Every possession matters, both offensively and defensively, every time out that you choose and when you choose it,” Norse Coach Matt Gregory said. “Going hard in practice is a big thing. If you take plays off, if you take breaks or you 'save yourself', it really shows in a game like this. You can't expect to go 100-percent in a game, especially in the fourth quarter, and your legs are jelly. You're going up and missing lay-ups that you probably should be making.”

Gogebic was also short-staffed, with seven players for new coach Cole Schreiner. And it turned into a tight Upper Peninsula battle that wasn't decided until the final minute.

“I know I'm sounding negative and I really don't mean to be,” Gregory said after the game. “I think we did a lot of decent things offensively and showed some confidence. It's just a tough battle, and we've just got to get in shape mentally and physically, and get more prepared for the season. I thought there was a lot of good opportunity for growth today.”

Bay fell behind early, 13-6, as five different Samson players scored in the first eight minutes. But the Norse got a triple from Gladstone's Alaina Trudeau and an old-fashioned three-point play from Bark River-Harris graduate Kassidy Roll, and they were within 13-12 at the end of the first quarter,

In the second quarter, Hannah Hoskin and Phoenix Corbine both hit triples and West Iron County graduate Emily Nelson had a pair of baskets to help GCC build a lead.

A hoop by Nicole DiGiorgio completed a 9-0 run and put the Samsons up, 31-18.

The Norse regrouped again, and closed to within six points at halftime when Mari Humphrey knocked down a triple and Alyssa Cretton scored her third basket of the quarter to bring Bay to within 31-25.

Bay's best quarter of offense was the third, when the Norse put up 16 points, including another triple by Humphrey and five points from Cretton. It went to the fourth quarter with the Samsons holding a slim 43-41 lead.

The Norse briefly tied the game, but missed free throws and missed lay-ups plagued the comeback effort. Still, Trudeau knocked down her second triple of the game wit 1:18 left on the clock to bring the Norse to within 51-50.

Gogebic, though, got the dagger from Jasmine Redhouse with 49 seconds left, a three-pointer from the right wing that made it 54-50. She also knocked down two free throws in the final seconds to seal the 56-52 win for GCC. Redhouse only scored seven points in the game, but those five were huge at the end for her team.

Kylee Hewitt led GCC (2-0) with 17 points and nine rebounds. Nelson, the sister of Bay College center Justin Nelson, had a double double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Redhouse had nine rebounds to go with her seven points.

Bay (1-1) got 14 points and five rebounds from Cretton, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds Friday night against Harper College. Humphrey contributed eight points and seven rebounds after scoring 12 in Friday night's win.

Trudeau, who had 12 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Harper, ended Saturday's game with eight points and five boards.

Gogebic outrebounded Bay, 49-36, and shot slightly better from the field, but the Norse had fewer turnovers (only 11 compared to 17 for the Samsons). But the Norse ad a rough night at the free throw line, making just 8-of-17 charity shots.

The Bay ladies will be at home next weekend against Mesabi Range (Minn.) Friday night, and against Madison (Wis.) College Saturday afternoon.

“We'll get back in the gym (at practice) and keep trying to knock down shots,” Gregory said. “And hit some 'game time' shots, where we're actually working really, really hard, and we're getting tired and there's a big sweat going on. Just having it mean something, because every shot you take in these games are big. It matters. And when you get in the fourth quarter when you don't have much left (in the tank).”