Box Score Aberdeen, S.D.—With playoff seeding on the line, the University of Mary women's basketball team stumbled Friday night against NSIC North Division leading Northern State University. U-Mary (15-9, 13-8 NSIC) struggled early offensively shooting just 8-of-36 in the first half and was never able to recover as it fell 73-59 to Northern State (20-5, 16-5).

Brittney Dietz led the Marauders with 16 points on 4-of-5, 3-point shooting. Freshman Hannah Larson added a season-high 14 points.

One of four players with 12 or more points for the Wolves, Allison Kusler finished with a team-high 14 points.

For the game U-Mary shot just 29.9 percent to NSU's 37.3. The Marauders hit a season-high 12 three-pointers, on season-high 30 attempts, to the Wolves 4-of-14. NSU held a distinct advantage at the free throw line going 25-of-28 to U-Mary's 7-of-11.

With 4-0 hole to start the game, the Marauders called timeout and found McKenzie Foster for three for U-Mary's first basket of the game. However, the Marauders would have to wait 5:17 until their next one as Sloan Turner hit a jump shot. U-Mary made a stop and scored on the ensuing possession to put the score to 11-7 in favor of NSU, but the Wolves scored seven unanswered points and eventually built their lead to 13 with 7:15 left in the opening half.
 
The Marauders pulled within seven late in the half on a 3-pointer from Lindsey Sand, but the Wolves went into half with a 32-23 lead.
 
Two of the top teams in free throw attempts in the Northern Sun, U-Mary and NSU combined for just eight attempts in the first half. The Wolves out shot the Marauders 42-22 percent in the first half. U-Mary had an edge on the boards grabbing 13 offensive rebounds, but only finished the half with two second-chance points.
 
After a slow start to the game, the Marauders came out strong in the second half as a Foster three on their first possession started an 8-0 run to cut the margin to three. However, that would be as close as U-Mary would come and the only time it was within a basket in the second half. NSU built its lead to as many as 15 as it held on for a 73-59 win.
 
U-Mary got hot from deep in the second half going 8-of-15 before going 0-of-3 in the final 90 seconds. The Marauders outshot the Wolves from the field in the half 39-31 percent, but NSU went 23-of-25 from the free throw line to U-Mary's 4-of-6.
 
Dietz came alive in the second half scoring all of her game-high 16 points in the closing period including a 4-of-5 display from beyond the arc. Averaging just over two 3-point attempts per game heading into the tonight, Larson finished 4-of-10 from deep for season-highs in both attempts and makes. Turner led U-Mary in rebounding with eight and Sand led in assists with seven.
 
U-Mary will conclude the regular season tomorrow evening on the road at 4 p.m. as it takes on Minnesota State University Moorhead.
 
With tonight's loss by U-Mary, a win by Minot State and a loss by MSU Moorhead, the Marauders have locked themselves in at the No. 3 spot in the NSIC North Division. U-Mary will host either Winona State or Upper Iowa on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
 
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