The University of Minnesota Duluth women's basketball team secured a nail biter of a win in their regular season finale at Romano Gymnasium, taking down the St. Cloud State University Huskies 64-63 in tonight's Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) matchup.
Halftime: UMD (32) - SCSU (30)
UMD secured the first bucket of the night and kicked off a run with both teams going bucket for bucket with each other, neither team willing to allow the other to collect an extended run of points. A pair of three pointers from Johnston and Johnson would help the Bulldogs outscore the Huskies 17-16 as they headed into the second, where we sawa different version of the same story. UMD would open the quarter collecting the first three points, but SCSU would respond with seven unanswered for the game's first extended scoring run and regaining the lead. A quick four points by the Bulldogs would return the point lead back to them, and the game would go back to trading baskets, with UMD outscoring the Huskies 8-7 to close out the half.
The Bulldogs shot 12-30 (40%) from the field, 2-7 (28.6%) from outside the arc, and 6-7 (85.7%) from the charity line throughout the first half of tonight's regular season finale. Foul troubles started to affect the Huskies, tallying personal fouls throughout the half, while the Bulldogs continued to show their defensive prowess by collecting six steals and two blocks through the half.
Final Score: UMD (64) - SCSU (63)
The opening eight points of the second half would be split evenly between the two opponents, and the game continued to bounce back and forth in scoring, bucket for bucket and free throw for free throw. The two teams were scored an equal 11-11 before a UMD foul would give SCSU a two point edge in the quarter and tie the game up at 43-43 heading into the fourth. After trading buckets through the opening minute and a half, another Johnson three pointer would start off an 11-4 run for the Bulldogs to go up 58-51 with five and a half minutes left. However, four unanswered for the Huskies would start off an 11-4 run of their own to tie the game at 62-62 with 15 seconds left in the game. A Gilbertson jumper would secure a two point lead before the Huskies would head to the line with less than a second left. The first of two free throws would connect, but the second would bounce off the iron and secure a win for the Bulldogs in their regular season finale.
UMD completed the victory shooting 22-53 (41.5%) from the field, 3-14 (21.4%) from three point range, and 17-21 (81%) from the line throughout all four quarters. Another close game for the Bulldogs saw the two teams going blow for blow with each other for a majority of the action, seeing eight lead changes for both teams and an equal 30 points in the paint, but the downfall for the Huskies came with their foul troubles and UMD's ability to produce more effectively from the line.
Top Performers
Graduate student Taytum Rhoades shot 5-9 (55.6%) from the field and 9-11 (81.8%) from the line for a game high 19 points while also collecting six assists, five rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Graduate student Madelyn Granica shot 4-12 (33.3%) from the field and 1-1 from the line for nine total points while also tallying a team high eight rebounds, and one assist.
Looking Ahead
Women's basketball awaits the conclusion of the regular season schedule for the rest of the NSIC to see their final seeding for the postseason tournament. The opening round of the tournament starts on Wednesday, Feb. 28, and will be hosted by the higher seed in each matchup.
