MINNEAPLOIS – The Mount Mary University basketball team lost to host North Central University today at the Clark-Danielson College Life Center Gymnasium. The Blue Angels took a lead in the fourth quarter, but the Rams went on a 14-4 run to win 68-59.
Three different Blue Angels finished with double-digit scoring totals. Erica Williams (Jr./Bloomington, Ill.) was one of the three players from MMU to score 12 points, Williams also collected 14 rebounds in the game for her sixth double-double of the season.
Teammates Rae Grubbs (Sr./Covington, Ind.) and Melissa Golo (Jr./Boise, Idaho) each scored 12 points as well. Golo went 5-of-9 from the field after fouling out in 20 minutes of action. Grubbs went 3-of-6 from outside the three-point arc and led her defense with a pair of steals.
Two Blue Angels led the offense with three assists each. Megan Johnson (Jr./Waukesha, Wis.) went 3-of-8 from outside the three-point line to go along with her three assists. Nyasia Hardy (Fr./Fort Wayne, Ind.) pulled in four rebounds to lead the guards in that category while she also dished out three assists.
MMU took an early 6-1 lead in the first quarter. The Rams came right back, then the two teams traded the lead seven times throughout the first quarter. The Blue Angels leaned on their outside shooting as they hit 4-of-9 from three-point territory on their way to a 21-17 opening frame over NCU.
In the second quarter, the Blue Angels hit 1-of-14 from the field as they worked their way to seven points in the frame. MMU went 5-of-8 from the free throw line to add a majority of their points. They also held the Rams to 29.4 percent from the field and forced four NCU turnovers. The Rams went into halftime with a 35-28 lead.
The Blue Angels again attacked from outside, this time in the third quarter. MMU hit 5-of-7 as a team from outside and limited the Rams in to shoot 31.3 percent from the field. After Erica Williams hit a deep buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the third, MMU cut the deficit to three to begin the final quarter.
The Blue Angels attacked early and grabbed the lead 42 seconds into the fourth. The two teams traded the lead four more times in the frame, but the Rams went on a 14-4 run in the final stretch of the fourth quarter to take the 68-59 victory.
After tonight, the Blue Angels will return to Wisconsin to take on Holy Family College Sat. Jan. 11 at 11:00 AM. The midday affair is set to have live streaming available. Check out MtMaryAthetlics.com for links.
