Truman State women's basketball cut a 12-point hole to four late in the third quarter Saturday. Northern Michigan answered with nine straight points, and the Bulldogs never got closer than six again.
Truman State's Sarah Helm hit a 3-pointer with 2:46 left in the third to pull the Bulldogs within 55-51. Truman State's Sara Hameed made a free throw to make it 55-52. Then Northern Michigan scored three straight baskets in the lane to close the quarter up 61-52, and Northern Michigan's Haddie Showen opened the fourth with a 3-pointer for a 64-52 lead.
Northern Michigan won 79-72 in the D2 CCA Midwest Tip-Off Challenge at Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Both teams are 1-1. Truman State beat Lake Superior State 68-61 in the event Friday.
The Wildcats did their work inside. Northern Michigan outscored Truman 44-24 in the paint, outrebounded the Bulldogs 39-32, and scored 18 second-chance points to Truman's seven. Truman had no blocked shots. Northern Michigan had five.
Northern Michigan's Raegan Krueger did the most damage. Coming off the bench, Krueger made 10 of 12 shots for 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Northern Michigan's Addison Pytleski added 14 points and seven rebounds, and Northern Michigan's Faith Walder had 11.
"I took advantage of the mismatches today and my teammates did a great job of finding me," Krueger said in a Northern Michigan athletics recap.
Truman State stayed in it from outside, making 10 of 24 3-pointers. Truman State's Morgan Miller led all scorers with 22 points on 6 of 15 shooting, including 4 of 9 from 3-point range, and 6 of 8 free throws. Miller also had four rebounds and four assists.
Truman State's Lexie White scored 17 points without missing from the field, going 3 for 3, and made 10 of 14 free throws. Helm also had 17 points, with four 3-pointers. Truman State's Braylee Rogers had seven rebounds and four assists.
The game was tied twice in the second quarter, the last time at 33-33 on a Miller 3-pointer with 4:00 left in the half. Northern Michigan led the rest of the way and went to the break up 41-37. The Wildcats scored 10 of the first 12 points of the third quarter for their biggest lead, 51-39.
Truman cut it to 71-65 on a White 3-pointer with 5:10 to play. Northern Michigan's Jordyn Schmittdiel made two free throws, and Krueger scored inside to push it back to 75-65.
The Bulldogs shot 43.1 percent and turned it over 18 times. Northern Michigan shot 46.8 percent and scored 16 points off turnovers to Truman's 10.
Truman State closes the tournament against Grand Valley State on Sunday, then plays Cedarville at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, in the GMAC/GLVC Crossover Tournament in Pepper Pike, Ohio.
Final tally: 79-72 Northern Michigan.