Box Score Aberdeen, SD –
Kaitlyn Haag posted a double double and
Kayla Schmidt drained five three-pointers to help the University of Mary women's basketball team hold off Northern State 73-71. The Marauders lost a 13 point lead but pulled out the win as Haag scored six of U-Mary's final 10 points to secure a difficult road win.
Haag came off the bench to score 16 points and pull down 10 rebounds to lead U-Mary in both categories. It is her second double double of the season and the third straight game that Haag has led the Marauders in scoring. Haag also made three steals.
Nearly perfect behind the arc, Schmidt hit 5-of-7 three point attempts and scored 15 points. The one-time Northern State player also pulled down seven rebounds.
Ali Collins added 15 points for the Marauders. In another tremendous all-around game for the junior guard, Collins pitched in six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
McKenzie Foster came off the bench to score 11 points, knocking down two treys.
Emily Becken and Jenna Higgins both scored 16 points for Northern State. Alison Kusler chipped in 14 points and Mikayla Barondeau had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Leading by 13, the Marauders couldn't slow a Wolves 22-7 surge that pushed Northern State to a 63-61 lead with more than six minutes remaining. Collins would make two free throws to tie the game before a Higgins jumper gave the Wolves what proved to be their final lead of the night.
Down by two, the Marauders turned to Haag. The sophomore post evened the game at 65-65 before scoring in the paint off a feed from Schmidt to put the Marauders in front for good.
Fouled with a chance to even the game, Kusler could hit just one of two free throws. After Collins and Sadie Stotesbery traded hoops, Foster would bump the U-Mary lead to 71-68 with 2:35 on the clock.
Leading by two after Barondeau made one of two free throws, Haag would put back her own miss for a 73-69 U-Mary lead with 1:19 remaining. Becken responded with a jumper in the paint and 53 seconds left in the game but it was the final points of the night for both teams. U-Mary missed a layup and two free throws to keep Northern State in the game but the Wolves missed three shots in the final 10 seconds.
Fresh off their worst shooting night in many years in a loss at Minnesota State last Saturday, the Marauders responded with a strong night offensively. U-Mary shot 45.8 per cent from the field, including a 9-of-22 effort behind the arc. A week ago the Marauders failed to make a trey in the loss that had snapped an eight game win streak. U-Mary did struggle at the free throw line, making just 10-of-20 attempts.
The Marauders improve to 13-4 overall and 10-3 in the NSIC to maintain third place in the conference standings. The Wolves slip to 11-8 and 6-7.
After three straight games on the road, U-Mary returns home to face Bemidji State University on Friday, January 27.
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