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Game Reaction: Kristin Sczublewski

ST. PAUL -- The Northwestern College women's basketball team earned its first victory of the 2011 season on Friday night, advancing to the ACR Homes Tip-Off Tournament Championship game by beating North Central University 59-49.  The Eagles recovered from a 27-27 first half tie to lead by 13 at one point before settling at the 10-point difference.

NWC came out of the gate strong, prompting an early timeout by Rams head coach Matt Callahan after leading 9-0 in the first four minutes.  After North Central found its legs, the Eagles pushed their lead back to seven points several times, including at the 8:39 mark in the first half when Ashley Arneson (Woodbury, Minn./Tartan) drained a three-pointer.  North Central turned a nine-point Eagles advantage into a tie game over the course of four minutes, knotting the score at 27-27 before Kristin Sczublewski (Pierz, Minn./Pierz) took a wide open three and sent the Eagles into the locker room with a 30-27 lead.

Northwestern went right back to work in the second period, slowly building its lead back up to five and then seven on back-to-back jumpers from Mollie Sir (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood).  Becca Kendrick (Eagan, Minn./Bethany Academy) then hit consecutive shots from behind the arc, and the Eagles found themselves up 47-35 with 9:43 to go.  A pair of free throws from Sczublewski with 1:55 left pushed NWC's lead to a game-high 13 points before the buzzer sounded with NWC winning 59-49.

Despite the first half tie, Northwestern never trailed in the game.  The Eagles' bench contributed 13 points, nine of which came from Kendrick.

Northwestern didn't have its best shooting night, finishing the game at 30 percent from the floor. North Central wasn't much better though with their 34 percent mark.  The Eagles kept their turnover mark lower than Tuesday's season-opener at Hamline though, committing 12 errors compared to 14 assists on the night.

Sczublewski was one of three NWC players in double figures, finishing the game with 11 points while Chanel Madson (Westbrook, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove) and Jessica Fife (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo), both newcomers to the Eagles roster this season, each had 12 points.  Fife's 10 rebounds earned her a double-double, making that back-to-back games that Northwestern had a double-double.

Northwestern, now 1-1 in the early 2011 campaign, will return to its home court on 5 p.m. for the tournament championship game against Buena Vista University.