Click the thumbnails to see photos and video highlights from the game, and to hear post-game comments from Gracie Kleikamp. Also click the AUDIO button to hear McKenzie Hoffmeyer's player spotlight interview.
ESCANABA---The Bay College Norse women's basketball team rolled to an easy victory in its MCCAA North Conference opener on Saturday, overwhelming the Montcalm Community College Centurions, 113-48, at the Bay College Gym.
Six Norse players scored in double figures as the Norse improved to 12-3 on the season heading into two road games next week.
Bay raced to a 33-9 lead after the first quarter as seven different players scored. The lead grew to 60-19 at halftime and the Norse cruised through the second half.
Lauren Zawada ended up with a game-high 20 points and she added five rebounds, in just 18 minutes of play. McKenzie Hoffmeyer, celebrating her birthday, scored 13 points, and Makenna Hendrickson chipped in ten points, four assists, four rebounds, and five steals, in 21 minutes of play.
The Bay College bench came through, taking advantage of its extended playing time.
North Central High School graduate Gracie Kleikamp scored a career-high 16 points, and she didn't miss a shot all night. She sank all four of her three-point attempts, and she made a basket in the lane, as well as both of her free throw attempts.
“I was feeling it today,” Kleikamp said. “Every time, if there wasn't much coverage, I let it go, and it just wanted to go in today. I thought that I did a pretty good job. But I wouldn't be able to do that without my teammates. When you get your opportunity, you have to take it, and just let it ride, like Coach would say. Let it ride, that's our thing, just let it ride. That's what I did today, and it went in for me!"
Addison Cullen also added 16 points, being set up by fellow St. Ignace Saint Jillian Fraser on a couple of occasions. Fraser herself scored eight points. Nina Bower did what she normally does, scoring 15 points on six-of-nine shooting. And Hannahville's Shyanna Halfaday scored her third basket of her Bay College career.
Montcalm (3-11 overall, 0-1 MCCAA) got nine points each from Kendall Stout and Emma Rewa. The Centurions were good at the foul line, making 10 of 11 free throws.
Bay College (12-3 overall, 1-0 MCCAA) will be back in action Wednesday night in Petoskey against the North Central Michigan Timberwolves (2-11 overall, 0-1 MCCAA). It will be a family affair as Cullen squares off against her twin sister, Cadence Cullen, who plays for NCMC.
Game time is 5:30 Wednesday night and it will be broadcast live on FM-106.3 and on-line by clicking the AUDIO link on the www.baynorse.com web site. The Norse will then play in Muskegon next Saturday afternoon.
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