Box Score



ST. PAUL – Northwestern College used a 71-61 victory over Hamline University on Friday night to go into the Christmas break with consecutive wins this week after having beaten North Central University earlier in the week. The Eagles used an 11-rebound edge while shooting almost 10 percent better than the visiting Pipers to earn the win in the Ericksen Center.

Hamline held an earl 4-2 lead, but Northwestern quickly established a rhythm after that as the Purple and Gold responded with a 23-5 run over the course of six minutes to hold a 16-point, 25-9 upper hand. Mollie Sir (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood) knocked down two three-point baskets during the spree, while Chanel Madson (Westbrook, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove) added a long distance jumper of her own. The Eagles' advantaged increased to 19 points just four minutes later as Jessica Fife (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) and Sir scored back-to-back buckets. The Pipers cut into the NWC lead before halftime, finishing a 6-0 run going into the break as the Eagles held a 36-24 buffer. Northwestern took advantage of Hamline's eight turnovers in the period, scoring 12 points off of the Pipers' mistakes.

The visitors on the scoreboard continued to put the pressure on to start the second half, turning a 10-point Eagles edge into just a four-point margin throughout the first four minutes. Northwestern responded with five straight points as Madson's layup pushed the lead to 46-37 before another Sir three-pointer boosted the advantage to 10. With Hamline taking four points and then NWC responding with baskets of its own, no Eagles lead was healthy enough until the final minute of play when Northwestern held a 12-point advantage with 42 seconds left before winning 71-61.

NWC made nearly 45 percent of its attempts from the floor, going 7-20 from behind the three-point line. Both Madson and Fife finished with a Northwestern-best 22 points as both went 8-13 shooting. Fife's 12 rebounds gave the junior frosting on her night's cake to complete a double-double. Sir finished with 13 points while Hannah Holm (Charlotte, N.C./GRACE School) added 11 rebounds for the Eagles, who posted a 42-31 edge on the glass.

Steph Pilgrim had 23 points for Hamline (2-6), who also received 13 points from Jordan Sammons.

Now 4-5 overall, Northwestern will turn its focus to next week's finals as the Eagles won't have to worry about another opponent on the court until after Christmas. NWC will wrap up the 2012 portion of its season's schedule with a two-game tournament at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa on Dec. 28-29. The Eagles open the tournament with Wartburg at 5 p.m. on the 28th.