Warriors pull away from Lady Wildcats

Courtesy of NMU Athletics

DETROIT, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team dropped its fourth straight game on Saturday (Feb. 16) at Wayne State University. The Warriors took the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game, 87-70 from Matthaei Center.

The Wildcats are now 11-12 and 8-11 in the GLIAC. WSU improves to 17-5 overall and 15-3 in conference play.

Despite the loss, NMU battled with the Warriors from the start, holding WSU’s lead to 10 or less for all of the first half, and much of the second. The Warriors held the 39-34 lead at halftime.

The Wildcats started off the second half of play by going on an 8-0 run started on a layup by sophomore guard Alyssa Colla with 17:34 remaining in the game.  NMU continued to hold the WSU lead to under 10 until 4:53 to go when the Warriors went on its own 7-0 run.

Sophomore guard Sarah Miller snapped the run with 1:31 remaining in the game on two made free throw shots. WSU was sent to the free throw line going 4-for-6 in the final three minutes of play to clinch the win.

Colla led NMU with 16 points on seven points from the floor and was 2-for-4 from the charity stripe. Sophomore guard Lauren Gruber contributed with 13, while freshman guard Anna Liewen had 11. Liewen and sophomore forward Brooke Coenen led the rebounds with eight each.

NMU finished the afternoon shooting 42.6 percent (23-for-54) and were 60.6 percent (20-for-33) at the free throw line.

For the Warriors, Pheabre Colbert led with 27 points off the bench. Talisha Bridges added 16 and Juanita Cochran rounded out the double digits with 10. Colbert also led all rebounders with 12, and Cochran had 11.

WSU shot 36.1 percent (26-for-72) from the floor and 76.9 percent (30-for-39) from the free throw line.

The Wildcats will return home next weekend for its final two games from the Berry Events Center. Lake Superior State University comes to town on Thursday (Feb. 21) and Northwood University visits on Saturday (Feb. 23).