Box Score Bismarck, ND—For the second straight night McKenzie Foster and Linda Murray were dominant as they lead the University of Mary to an 87-83 win over Northern State University (5-2, 1-2) Saturday evening in Northern Sun women's basketball action.
 
Foster finished with a season-high 20 points on 5-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Murray scored 16 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds.
 
Forward Rachel Krogman, who finished with a game-high 22 points, paced Northern State. Krogman also grabbed seven rebounds for the Wolves.
 
The Marauders built a 12-point lead in the first four minutes of the game for the second consecutive night as they opened with a 12-0 run. U-Mary would build its lead to as many as 13, before entering the break leading 45-35. 
 
U-Mary's defensive effort and strong shooting was the story of the first half. They held NSU to 12-for-33 shooting from the field and 1-for-9 from deep, while shooting 16-for-31 and 5-for-9. Murray was a force in the first half for the Marauders scoring 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting and grabbing 8 rebounds.
 
U-Mary started the second half strong as well, this time with a 7-2 run to built its lead to a game-high 17 points with 17:54 left to play. Trailing by 14 with 13:10 remaining in the game, Northern State went on a 6-0 run to bring the game to single digits for the first time since the final minutes of the first half. Exchanging blows, the Marauders led by eight with 9:02 to play, before going on a 7-0 run keyed by a Foster three to open their lead back up to 15.
 
Chipping away, the Wolves brought the game to within five a Devon Brecke hit a three-point shot with 2:00 minutes left to play. U-Mary took a seven point lead with 54 seconds remaining as a Murray lay-up and a pair of Lindsey Sand free throws sandwiched a Wolves lay-up. Northern State kept battling though as they scored back-to-back lay-ups, one of which was a three-point play.
 
With the two teams exchanging free throws U-Mary led by two with 18 second left to play and possession of the basketball. The Marauders inbounded to Foster, who was immediately fouled. Stepping up to the line, Foster connected on both free throws to seal the victory as U-Mary held on 87-83.
 
Aside from hitting the game clinching free throws, Foster was 4-for-5 from the field and 3-for-4 from deep as she scored 14 of her team-high 20 points in the second half. As a team U-Mary struggled from the field shooting 37 in the second half, but was able to get to the free throw line making 18 of 25 attempts. Brittney Dietz scored nine of her 13 points in the second half as she went 7-for-8 from the free throw line including 2-for-2 in the final minute. 
 
For the game U-Mary outshot Northern State 45 to 42. The Wolves held a 40-38 advantage on the glass and a 32-28 advantage scoring inside. The Marauders bench was solid throughout shooting 6-for-12 and scoring 19 points to the Wolves 1-for-4 and five points.
 
With a sweep this weekend the Marauders move to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in NSIC play. U-Mary will be back in action next weekend as they hit the road to take on Minnesota Duluth on Friday and St. Cloud State on Saturday.
 
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