Box Score
Game Reaction: Jessica FIfe

ST. PAUL -- Despite a slow start, the Northwestern College women's basketball team used a 14-5 run down the stretch in the second half to overcome Northland College on Saturday afternoon. Jessica Fife (Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo) had a monster game for the Eagles, scoring 20 points while breaking her own program record with 21 rebounds.

Northwestern didn't record its first points of the game until six minutes had ticked off the clock and the LumberJills had already hit eight points. Northwestern turned an eight-point Northland advantage into four on a Jacki Smith (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) jumper before the visitors closed out the first half at 26-19. NWC came out ready to go to work in the second period. By the 16:02 mark, Chanel Madson (Westbrook, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove)'s three-pointer chopped the margin to 31-28 before the Eagles found themselves ahead when Fife's layup made the score 32-31 in Northwestern's favor. Another Fife basket and a three-pointer from Mollie Sir (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood) kept the Purple and Gold on a roll and the home team held a 10-point lead with 10:21 to play. NWC increased its advantage to as much as 14 just under the five-minute mark before happily finding the win column again on a 55-46 victory.

After going 9-24 shooting in the first half, Northwestern turned around to out-score Northland 34-20 in the second behind a 12-27 performance before finishing the game at 41 percent. Northland countered with just 16 made baskets on the night while the Eagles out-rebounded the LumberJills by 10. Much of that edge came from Fife, who was two points shy of a double-double by the end of the first half. The sophomore was responsible for 21 of Northwestern's 39 rebounds while making nine of her 15 shots.

Madson and Sir each came on in the second half to finish the game with 11 points while Kristin Sczublewski (Pierz, Minn./Pierz)'s stat line read nine points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals. Sara Hoge was the only Northland player to finish in double figures as she led her team with 12 points.

With the win, the Eagles improve to 7-14 overall and 4-6 in UMAC play, while Northland falls to 10-11 and 5-5. After going 2-1 to start the second half of conference action this week, Northwestern will have almost a week off before hitting the road next Friday, when the Eagles play at Presentation College in Aberdeen, S.D. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.