MINNEAPOLIS – Tonight at the Clark-Danielson Gymnasium, the host North Central Rams defeated the Mount Mary University basketball team by a final score of 62-52. The Blue Angels (8-4) capture the lead in the second quarter, but the Rams retook the lead themselves with a late second quarter push that propelled them to their 9-6 record.

After an early 2-0 lead for the Rams, the Blue Angels rattled off three 3-pointers in their next three possessions to take the 9-4 lead. NCU slowly hit their field goals over the next four minutes of action and took the lead after a 8-2 run.

The teams traded the lead three more times in the first frame until NCU hit their final free throws of the quarter to take a 18-16 lead into the second quarter. That back and forth continued through the second as MMU opened up the quarter with a 3-pointer courtesy of Brooke Uebersetzig (Jr./Greenwood, Ind.). That started a 9-2 run that gave MMU the 25-20 lead.

Following a Rae Grubbs' (Jr./Covington, Ind.) 3-point field goal that put MMU up 28-24 at the 4:49 mark, the Rams went on a 16-0 run to end the quarter. That put NCU up 40-28 at halftime.

Neither team hit effectively from the field in the third quarter. However, the Rams were able to separate things a little, hitting 4-of-14 from the field as a team and holding MMU to 1-of-16 from the field and 1-of-1 from the free throw line in the quarter.

The Blue Angels surged in the final quarter against the NCU starters. MMU clamped down on defense and help the Rams to 5-of-15 from the field and 1-of-4 from outside the 3-point line. Along with hitting 9-of-17 from the field and 1-of-4 from outside, the Blue Angels ended the game on a 8-2 run to make the final score 62-52.

"The 1st and 2nd quarters were the very definition of how a team can live by the jumper and die by the jumper," said Mount Mary Head Basketball Coach Marc Heidorf.

"We will learn from it and get ready for Friday!"

Erica Williams (Bloomington, Ill.) led the Blue Angels on offense going 8-of-14 from the field for 19 points. The forward also pulled down a team high 14 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season.

Melissa Golo (Fr./Boise, Idaho) and Rae Grubbs each chipped in double-digit points on offense. Golo finished 4-of-9 from the field and 2-of-4 from outside for 11 points, while Grubbs hit 5-of-15 from the field and 3-of-9 from 3-point territory on her way to 13 points.

The Blue Angels return to the Bloechl Center on Fri. Jan. 18 when they take on the Grace Christian University Tigers. Live stats and streaming will be made available for the 7:00 pm game at the Bloechl Center, for more information visit MtMaryAthletics.com.