Box Score
Game Reaction:
Kristin Sczublewski
ST. PAUL -- Northwestern's season ended with a 88-60 loss to Martin Luther College on Saturday night to finish the 2011-2012 campaign with an 8-17 record (5-9 UMAC). The Eagles struggled to meet the demands of the Knights' full court press and quickness while being outscored 36-18 in the paint.
NWC kept Martin Luther in check for the first few minutes, getting to the free throw line, where the Eagles are 77 percent for the season, several times. The Knights started to build up their rebounding tally early and turning those boards into points.
Kristin Sczublewski (Pierz, Minn./Pierz)'s three-pointer went long at the 12:18 mark, and Martin Luther's Sarah Free came down to the other side of the court to drain a jumper. The Knights then took advantage of back-to-back Northwestern turnovers to increase their lead to 20-8 just 90 seconds later. Layups by
Jacki Smith (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) and
Jessica Fife (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) started a rally for the Eagles that cut Martin Luther's lead to seven, but the Knights ended the half on a 17-7 run to go into the lockerroom with a 41-38 halftime lead.
Just over a minute into the second half, MLC's advantage had ballooned to 21 on a Brittney Gossen jump shot. Baskets by
Chanel Madson (Westbrook, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove) and
Mollie Sir (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood) brought the lead back into the teens on separate occasions, but the Knights' pressure became too much for the Eagles in the 88-60 final.
Fife finished her first season in an Eagles uniform with 21 points and eight rebounds to lead Northwestern, who went 19-50 (38 percent) as a team. Sczublewski wrapped up her college career with a 12-point performance that included five assists, while Madson added 10 points.
On the other half of the court, Martin Luther (18-7, 11-3 UMAC) made 37 baskets while shooting nearly 59 percent from the floor and 50 percent from behind the three-point line. The Knights outrebounded the Eagles by 16, scoring 14 second chance points. Amanda Burk led the Knights with 22 points on 10-12 shooting while completing her double-double with 10 rebounds. Erica Babinec chipped in 16 points for Martin Luther, who claimed a share of the UMAC regular season championship with the victory.
