Box Score Duluth, MN—The University of Mary women's basketball team (5-2, 3-1) scored first and never trailed en route to a 76-68 win over the University of Minnesota Duluth (5-3, 2-2) in Northern Sun women's basketball action Friday night.
Linda Murray scored just 11 seconds into the game and U-Mary built its lead to as many as 12 early in the first half. The Bulldogs tied the game briefly with 10:16 left in the game, but the Marauders responded with a 9-0 run as they held on for the win.
Murray and Lindsey Sand each scored 23 points for U-Mary. Shooting 10-for-18 from the field, Murray grabbed 12 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Twenty three point for Sand eclipses her previous career-high of 15. The nation's top three-points shooter heading into the game, Sand went just 1-for-3 from deep, but finished 8-for-11 from the field.
With three players in double figures, Danielle Flood led UMD with 17 points including 3-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
The Marauders opened the game outscoring the Bulldogs 16-4 due largely to six points, a steal and an assist from McKenzie Foster. After scoring just 11 points in her first four games combined, Foster has now scored 51 points over the past three games. Murray was dominant in the first half scoring 14 points in the opening frame alone as the Marauders took a 40-29 lead into the half.
In a frenetic first half that saw 28 combined turnovers, U-Mary proved the aggressor forcing nine UMD fouls that allowed the Marauders to go 13-for-15 from the line. The Bulldogs had their opportunities to score but shot just 3-for-14 in the half.
Trailing 49-42 with 13:18 left to play in the second half, UMD went on a 9-2 run to tie the game with 10:16 remaining. However, U-Mary responded with a 9-2 run of its own to open its lead back to seven. The Bulldogs stuck around and came within one with 2:22 left to play, but a lay-up from Sand and 5-for-6 shooting from the line by the Marauders in the final 65 second sealed a 76-68 victory.
In the second half Sand was even more dominant than Murray was in the first half scoring 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Again UMD had plenty of chances, but again struggled from deep going just 5-for-14.
For the games both teams shot nearly identical from the field, both teams had the same amount of rebounds and just one turnover separated the teams. It was the free throw line that proved to be the difference for the Marauders as they shot 24-for-31 from the line to the Bulldogs 12-for-18.
With three straight wins under its belt, the U-Mary women will have to make a quick turnaround as they take on a difficult opponent in St. Cloud State on Saturday at 4 p.m. in St. Cloud, MN.
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