by MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women’s basketball team moved back into a tie for second place in the UMAC standings on Saturday, limiting North Central University to less than 30 percent shooting from the field and less than 20 percent shooting from beyond the arc in a 57-40 victory. The Cougars improve to 8-12 (6-4 UMAC), while the Rams slip to 12-9 (6-4 UMAC).
Starting fast, Minnesota Morris would lead by as many as five in the first quarter, 9-4, before North Central got back into it. Jay Kwateh and Haley Wollschlager scored the first two baskets of the game and Tariq Brownotter had the next five points for the Cougars. NCU responded with a 9-2 run to take the lead heading into the second quarter.
A free throw from North Central’s Caitlyn Ryan would put the Rams ahead, 17-16, with 5:52 remaining in the first half. From that point on until the first half buzzer sounded, Minnesota Morris gave up just one field goal – a three-pointer from Destiny Hines – and went on a 13-3 run to take a 29-20 advantage. Ella Van Kempen had a three-point play that would give Minnesota Morris the lead for good and Lexus Redthunder added a pair of field goals over that stretch to help the Cougars increase their lead.
Outside of a brief stretch of the third quarter in which the Rams were able to cut it to a six-point game, Minnesota Morris was in command the rest of the way. The Cougars responded to that push from North Central by going on a 9-0 run and taking a 40-25 lead. Seventeen points would be the largest lead of the day for UMN Morris at 43-26, but the Rams went on an 8-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters to bring the game closer.
In the final 10 minutes, North Central would get as close as seven, 45-38, with 7:17 to play. That’s when the Cougar defense ratcheted it up a notch. The Rams failed to score for nearly seven full minutes and Minnesota Morris scored 12 unanswered to put the game away.
Redthunder came off the bench and had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Brownotter also entered in a reserve role but finished with 12. Van Kempen paced the starting five for the Cougars with nine points and 10 boards.
