MARQUETTE---Northern Michigan University Women's Basketball jumped out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back as they proved too much for Lake Superior State University, defeating the Lakers 93-36.
The 93 points are the most scored in a game by the Wildcats since a 107-75 victory over Lake Erie College during the 2010-11 season. It is also the fourth time this season the team has kept a team under 40 points, with the 36 points allowed the fewest this season and the fewest allowed in a regular season game since allowing just 21 against Division III Finlandia University during the 2012-13 season. It's the fewest against a Division II foe since defeating Lake State 55-36 in the 2011-12 season.
Senior Taylor Hodell (Wausau, Wis.) posted eight points and tied with freshman Emily Mueller (Fond du lac, Wis.) with six rebounds. Senior Sydney Dillinger(Houghton, Wis.) tied a career-high with four steals, all coming in the first half.
As a team, NMU finished with a season-best 22 assists and hit a season-best 12 three-pointers, shooting 57% from behind the arc. Defensively, the Wildcats kept the Lakers to just 31% from the field and 22% from behind the arc.
The Wildcats started early with Schultz hitting a three-pointer from the top of the key on the first possession. Youngstrom added a layup and free throw then Smith hit two more free throws. Youngstrom followed with a jumper to make it 10-0 three minutes into the game.
The Lakers got on the board at the six-minute mark with a three but junior Baleigh Delorit (Algoma, Wis.) answered with a three of her own and junior Erin Honkala (Howell, Mich.) added a layup and free throw to make the score 18-3 with 4:21 to play in the first quarter.
LSSU scored five points to narrow the game but Hodell stopped the short run with a layup, followed by a jumper by Smith and two free throws from Dillinger. The Lakers made a layup but Schultz and Mueller added baskets to make it 28-10. The guests managed a layup in the final seconds and NMU was up 28-12 after the first 10 minutes.
In the second quarter, the Wildcats kept the Lakers to just four points and pushed their lead out to 21 points. Smith started the second frame with a layup and Youngstrom banked in corner three on the next possession. Lutz added another three before LSSU scored.
The Lakers scored again, making it 36-16 but NMU would keep the guests scoreless for the final five minutes of the half. Meanwhile, Honkala made a jumper followed by a Mueller layup and Dillinger three-pointer to make it 43-16 with three minutes to go.
Schultz added another jumper and Smith sank two free throws before Schultz made another layup to close out the half with the Wildcats leading 49-16.
The Wildcats continued to pull away, outscoring the Lakers 21-7 in the third quarter. Schultz scored the first basket of the half followed by a Dillinger free throw and Youngstrom layup to make it 56-16 with 7:48 on the clock.
Honkala increased the lead and two Delorit three-pointers and two free throws from Hodell made it 70-21 with 1:37 to play. The Lakers made a layup to end the third quarter as NMU took a 70-23 lead into the final 10 minutes.
Sophomore Amber Huebner (Marquette, Mich.) gave the Wildcats an 80-30 advantage at the 5 :17 mark. Senior Tess Weatherly (Howell, Mich.) hit her second three-pointer of the game soon after to push NMU out to an 86-34 lead.
Junior CeCe Rapp (St. Charles, Ill.) finished the game's scoring by hitting a jumper with 1:45 on the clock to make the final 93-36.
The Wildcats improve to 11-4 on the season and are now 6-1 in the GLIAC. The team looks to continue their success into Saturday as they host Ferris State University in the Berry Events Center. Bruce Roberts CFP will serve as game hosts for the contests.
