by GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of Minnesota Morris women’s basketball team had a solid offensive display on Saturday, though the Cougars fell in its non-conference matchup with Division I opponent University of North Dakota by a score of 97-55. UMN Morris scored in double-figures in each quarter, including a 16-point effort in the first quarter to keep the game close.
Following a 4-0 start to the game for North Dakota, Haley Wollschlager got Minnesota Morris on the board 90 seconds into the action with a layup off a feed from Ella Van Kempen. That was the first of four times that the Cougars pulled within two points of the Fighting Hawks in the opening five minutes, including twice off of a field goal and a pair of free throws from Malory Anderson. North Dakota began to pull away as the quarter moved along, but Van Kempen closed the scoring in the quarter with a pair of free throws to make it 29-16 after one.
The Cougars had their worst shooting performance of the game in the second quarter, hitting on 3-of-10 field goals and only 4-of-10 at the foul line. Those missed opportunities allowed North Dakota to open up a 50-26 lead at the half.
Minnesota Morris kept things close in the third quarter, getting outscored by a 23-17 margin to start the second half. Justine Day had back-to-back buckets, including a three-pointer, midway through the quarter and Grace Olson canned a jumper late in the period to have the Cougars go to the fourth trailing, 73-43.
North Dakota was never in danger in the fourth quarter, but the Cougars kept battling and had another 12 points in the final minutes. Lexus Eagle Chasing knocked in her third three-pointer of the game, followed by another jumper from Olson. Maddie Smart and Kianna Big Crow got their names on the scoreboard in the closing moments as well.
Eagle Chasing finished with a team-high 14 points. Van Kempen added 10 points and three rebounds. Day had seven points and five rebounds, while Jay Kwateh matched Day with five boards. Anderson led the Cougars with seven rebounds off the bench.
