ST. PAUL, Minn. – University of Northwestern Women's Basketball took on Finlandia University in their first game of the new year on Tuesday in the Ericksen Center. The Lions led at the half, but the Eagles rallied to win 74-63.
 
In the first quarter, the two teams played even through the opening seven minutes. After Allison Terry (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) hit a free throw to put UNW up 12-10, the momentum swung towards Finlandia as the Lions scored nine points in a row. A foul by the Lions in the final second of the quarter allowed the Eagles to sever the Finlandia scoring streak, but the Eagles still trailed 19-13 after the first 10 minutes of play.
 
After the Lions offensive burst at the end of the opening quarter, the game returned to an even back-and-forth battle in the second quarter. Both teams scored 16 points in the frame to send the game to halftime with the Eagles trailing 35-29.
 
Northwestern's offense caught fire after halftime, scoring 26 points in the third quarter to take the lead. The Eagles kept cutting into the Lions' lead until overtaking them with a pair of free-throws by Terry to go up 41-39 with 4:35 remaining in the third. Finlandia retook the lead with a free-throw to go up 48-47, but the Eagles outscord the Lions 8-2 in the final two minutes of the quarter.
 
Up 55-50 at the start of the final quarter, Northwestern was able to push their lead into double-digits. With a three-pointer by Taylor Schuck (Maple Grove, Minn./Heritage Christian Academy), the Eagles took a 61-50 lead with 6:56 remaining. The Lions would manage to cut UNW's lead down to seven points with 56 seconds remaining, but the Eagles added a pair of free-throws and a layup in the final minute to take the game 74-63.
 
Schuck led Northwestern with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor. Grace Landvik (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) followed with 12 points and eight rebounds. Megan McGeough (Greeley, Colo./Dayspring Christian Academy) had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the game, adding four blocks on defense.
 
Up next, Northwestern has a home conference game in the Ericksen Center on Saturday, January 7, at 4:45 P.M. against North Central University.