Women’s Basketball: Dragons Pull Away in 2nd Half to Top Northern Michigan 74-63

Three Minnesota State University Moorhead players scored in double figures

MOORHEAD, Minn. (MSUM Athletics) — Three Minnesota State University Moorhead players scored in double figures as the Dragon women topped Northern Michigan, 74-63 in nonconference basketball Sunday in Moorhead, Minn. A big third quarter helped the Dragons build a double-digit lead in the second half.

MSUM is now 1-1 on the season while Northern Michigan fell to 3-2.

Junior guard Jacky Volkert led MSUM with 16 points and eight assists. Senior forward Drew Sannes had 14 points while senior guard Cassidy Thorson had 12 points and four rebounds. Freshman guard Kiley Borowiczhad nine points and two steals off the bench and also led with five rebounds, all career highs.

MSUM led 33-29 at halftime, thanks to seven points each from Volkert and Borowicz. MSUM shot 12-of-29 (41.4 percent) in the first half compared to 50 percent (11-of-22) for the Wildcats; however Northern Michigan also committed seven turnovers in the first half compared to two for the Dragons.

It was in the third quarter when MSUM took control, outscoring the Wildcats 25-16 in that frame.  Northern Michigan was within 42-37 with 4:22 left in the quarter but MSUM went on a 16-5 run to build a 58-42 advantage.   Sannes, Volkert and sophomore forward Megan Hintz had four points each for MSUM in that key run.

The Dragon lead shrunk to seven in the final minutes but MSUM weathered the storm to win by 11.

Hintz had eight points for MSUM.

The Dragons will travel to Tampa, Fla., for a pair of Division II nonconference games this week. MSUM will face Anderson University (S.C.) at 10 a.m. Central time on Friday in Tampa, Fla.

Steve d’Eustachio Stat of the Game: Last night marked the 11-year anniversary of the Dragons’ 66-55 victory over Northern Michigan in St. Paul. Current assistant coach Allison Swenson poured in 18 points to lead all scorers and her team to a perfect 2-0 start.