ABERDEEN, S.D. – MSU Moorhead women's basketball opened up conference play on Thursday evening as the Dragons fell to host Northern State, 60-44.
MSUM would begin the game with a 5-2 lead thanks to a pair of baskets from
Terryn Johnson. The sophomore showed her increased range in the process, netting a pair of jumpers with one being just in front of the three-point line. The Dragon defensive rotation helped stifle Northern State early as the Wolves went zero for nine from the floor in the first five minutes.
Natalie Jens would net back-to-back three-pointers out of a media timeout to put MSUM ahead 11-6.
Johnson would score again before the frame ended as MSUM led 13-10 through 10 minutes. Northern State missed all seven of their three-point attempts in the quarter as the Dragons held the Wolves to a 22.2 percent conversion rate overall. Johnson and Jens combined for 12 of MSUM's 13 points in the stanza.
Northern State's offense would begin to even out a bit in the second quarter. The Wolves would go in front 19-16 before a three from
Ashley Gustavson would knot the game even. While the Wolves would eventually build a four-point lead, jumpers from Johnson and
Maya Metcalf put the Dragons back up, 25-23.
Metcalf would nail another jumper before the break, but Northern State would score in the waning seconds to enter the locker room tied at 27 points. The Dragons held the Wolves to just two of 16 from deep in the first half. Johnson led MSUM with 10 points as MSUM shot 35.5 percent as a team.
To open the second half, Northern State would push in front by six points in the early stages before
Ashley Fritz would bring the Dragons some needed offense. MSUM would begin the third quarter shooting just three of 14 from the floor. The Wolves would lead 37-34 with just over two minutes left in the period as the Dragons struggled to knock down a shot. While Metcalf would add a turnaround jumper, Northern State outpaced MSUM 5-2 in the final two minutes to lead 42-36 after three quarters.
The home team would build a 12-point lead with just over six minutes remaining in the contest. Five points from
Kaila Youngs off the bench would give the Dragons just their third field goal of the period with under two minutes remaining. The Wolves would outscore MSUM 18-8 in the quarter to claim a 60-44 win. MSUM shot just 30 percent from the floor in the game.
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Up Next
MSUM (0-6, 0-1 NSIC) returns to Nemzek Fieldhouse for the first time in 2023-24 as they will take on the University of Mary on Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m.
