Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and to hear post-game comments from Leah Allan and Coach Matt Gregory. Also click the AUDIO button to hear Alaina Trudeau's player spotlight interview.
PETOSKEY---The Bay College Norse women's basketball team picked up a much-needed victory on the road Wednesday night, keeping their playoff hopes alive with a 56-26 win over the North Central Michigan Timberwolves at the Petoskey Plastics Arena.
It was Bay's second win of the season over the first-year program, and it kept the Norse one game behind Alpena Community College for the final playoff spot.
“It is a confidence and morale boost, and it was something that we needed together, to go forward in a positive direction,” Norse Coach Matt Gregory said. “Just with the trust, and the family atmosphere that we are building. It's good to see. We knew that they weren't going to lay down, at all, and play like an 0-7 team. We needed to find a way to capitalize on our opportunities, and lock them down a little bit on defense, and I think we definitely did that.”
Norse center Tianna Taylor was dominating inside the paint, especially during the first half, when she scored 14 points.
The Timberwolves started double teaming her after halftime, but the Gwinn High School graduate still ended up with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. Also inside, Bark River-Harris graduate Kassidy Roll was confident, knocking down four shots for eight points, and she grabbed ten boards.
“We should be doing that every single game,” Gregory said. “It's really an opportunity for us to see an advantage there, and have confidence to make those passes in the post. A few times this season we haven't been as confident to make those passes inside and trusting each other that we will make the play and be strong with it down low. I thought this was game that we could definitely build some confidence doing that.”
The Norse led from wire-to-wire, jumping to a 7-2 lead on a Stephanie Frappy triple, and building that lead to 13-4 with Taylor scoring three times. Roll contributed two baskets of her own to help the score go to 17-6 after one quarter and 19-6 early in the second quarter. The Norse led at halftime, 31-12, and cruised from there.
The Bay defense was strong, holding the Timberwolves to making only eleven of 46 shot attempts. They missed all 13 three-point tries. Leah Allan had perhaps her best two-way game in a Norse uniform, nailing three of her four three-point attempts and getting eleven points on offense, along with four assists, and also two steals on defense.
“I thought we did really well today and worked as a team,” Allan said. “People stepped up, and I thought we did just a good job of communicating. I think everyone worked hard. We really bought in, and it showed today. That's what I look forward to doing in games. Just hustling as much as I can, putting in effort. We've had some tough times lately, and it just shows how much we work in practice.”
Mykaila Burgher led NCMC (3-16 overall, 0-8 MCCAA) with ten points.
Bay College improved to 3-5 in MCCAA play (7-15 overall) and almost got some help from Kirtland Community College. The Firebirds took fifth place Alpena to the wire, but the Lumberjacks survived in Grayling, 65-60. Alpena went to 4-4 in league play, and stayed one game ahead of the Norse for that fifth and final playoff spot.
The Norse will be at home against Grand Rapids Community College on Saturday, a team that is 5-3 in conference play and tied for third place.
The Norse lost to the Raiders in Grand Rapids, 81-47, back on January 14th in their conference opener.
“Hopefully, it will be a different story, with our fans being as loud as they are,” Gregory said. “And it's Alumni Night, having people coming in, supporting us, who have played throughout the years at Bay. I'm hoping that we have a good showing for that crew that built the foundation.”
Saturday's game starts at 1:00 and it will be broadcast live on FM-106.3, and on-line at www.radioresultsnetwork.com.
