MOORHEAD, Minn. -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team ran into the top-ranked scoring defense in Division II on Saturday and came up short, falling to No. 7-ranked Northern State 60-39 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn.
MSUM fell to 4-6 overall and 3-3 in the NSIC with the loss while Northern State improved to 11-1 overall and 5-1 in the league.
The Wolves entered the game allowing an NCAA Division II fewest 47.6 points per game on the season and are the only team in the nation allowing under 50 points per game. They held the Dragons to just 25 percent shooting (13-of-52) for the game. Northern State shot 45.3 percent (24-of-53) and had a slight 36-35 edge in rebounds.
Junior forward
Savanna Handevidt had 10 points to lead MSUM, while freshman forward
Cassidy Thorson had a career-high seven rebounds. Freshman guard
Mallie Doucette had a career-high nine points. Junior forward
Cheyenne Ironheart had two assists while junior guard
Meghan Roehrich and redshirt freshman forward
Drew Sannes had two steals each.
Northern State started strong with a 17-0 run over the first 5:13 of the game and never trailed in the game. The Dragons were shut down from the field in the first half, hitting just 3-of-25 (12 percent) from the field.
Despite those struggles, MSUM climbed within 26-13 with 1:11 left in the half after
Savanna Handevidt buried a three-pointer. The Wolves led 28-13 at halftime.
MSUM cut the lead to 30-19 with 17:13 left in the game after sophomore guard
Natalie Van Wyhe buried a three-pointer. But the Wolves scored six straight points to push the lead to 36-19 and the lead never dropped below 15 the rest of the way.
Van Wyhe and junior forward
Heather Strese had five rebounds each for MSUM.
MSUM is off until Jan. 2, 2015 when it hosts Upper Iowa.
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Despite today's loss, the Dragons own a 17-16 record against Northern State since the beginning of the 2001-2002 season. Only Wayne State (Neb.) has beaten the Wolves more times (20) than the Dragons during this stretch.
