SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State women's basketball team fell to the Northern Michigan Wildcats by a final score of 59-51 in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) game on Thursday, Feb. 24 at the Bud Cooper Gymnasium in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
First Half:
The first quarter was evenly matched between the two Upper Peninsula rivals as the Wildcats held a one-point lead after 10 minutes of play. Mattison Rayman opened the game's scoring at 9:23 of the first quarter and NMU followed with six straight points to hold a 6-2 lead at 6:59 of the quarter.
Ella Bontrager made a three-pointer to pull the Lakers within a point (6-5) and CeCe Hacker made the team's second three of the quarter with 5:38 left on the clock to tie the game at eight. The Lakers took a three point lead over the Wildcats with 3:32 left on the clock when Carson Nitz netted the team's third three-pointer of the game. Margot Woughter extended the Lakers lead to five points (13-8) with a layup with just over three minutes left in the first quarter.
Northern Michigan closed out the first quarter with six straight points to take a 14-13 lead into the second quarter.
NMU's Makaylee Kuhn started off the second quarter with a three-point jump shot to give the Wildcats a four-point lead (17-13). Two free throws by Ella Bontrager followed by a layup from Rayman evened the game at 17 with 7:34 left on the clock in the first half. Hacker's layup in the same minute put the Lakers up, 19-17.
With 2:54 left in the first half, Rayman evened the game at 21 with a layup but the Wildcats responded with a field goal seconds later to regain the lead (23-21). In the final minute of the half, Hacker made a jump shot to send the teams to halftime tied at 23.
Second Half:
Through the first three minutes of the third quarter, the Lakers trailed the Wildcats by one point (29-28). Northern Michigan followed with a pair of layups to build their lead to five points (33-28) with 6:25 left in the quarter. Woughter made consecutive free throws but a three pointer by NMU's Kuhn kept the Wildcats ahead by six (36-30) with 5:33 to play.
In the final three minutes of the third quarter, Makenzie Bray made four three throws for the Lakers as the team closed in on the Wildcats lead. Hacker made a three pointer in the final minute to bring the Lakers back within two points (39-37) after NMU held a seven point lead just a minute prior. The Wildcats made a jump shot in the final seconds to take a 41-37 lead into the final quarter.
Bray opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with a layup at 9:26 (41-39) but the Wildcats made two layups to extend their lead to six points (45-39) with 6:57 left in the game. Two free throws by Ella Bontrager brought the Lakers within four points (45-41) but the visitors added the next four points to hold an eight-point lead (49-41) with 3:23 left in regulation.
With two minutes left in the game, the Lakers trailed by six points (51-45). Ella Bontrager pulled the Lakers within four points (51-47) in the final minute but NMU held on for the GLIAC win by a final score of 59-51.
Breaking Down the Game: Rayman posted her 12th double-double of the season as she led the team in both points and rebounds against the Wildcats. The junior forward finished the game with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Hacker ranked second on the Lakers in points with 11, including a team-leading two three-pointers in the game. Ella Bontrager rounded out the team's top three scorers as she finished the game with nine points.
The Lakers finished the game with a 32.7 shooting percentage, going 17-for-52 in the game. On the other end of the floor, the Wildcats went 22-for-61 in the game to total a 36.1 shooting percentage. Northern Michiganoutrebounded Lake State, 34-33, in the game.
What's Next
The Lakers will play their final game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 26 as the team hosts the Michigan Tech Huskies at the Bud Cooper Gymnasium in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. at 1:00 p.m. Prior to the game, the Lakers will hold a pre-game ceremony to honor the team's graduating seniors.
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