ST. PAUL, Minn. - After an encouraging season opener on Saturday, a young University of Northwestern Women's Basketball team was hoping to continue to build in a positive direction Tuesday night when it welcomed Hamline University into the Ericksen Center. What UNW ran into was a buzzsaw of a defense that forced 36 turnovers en route to an 87-48 win in its season opener, proving why the Pipers finished third in the MIAC last season at 19-8 overall.
Northwestern actually got on the board first via an
Emma Korinek (New Brighton, Minn./Concordia Academy) three-pointer and held Hamline scoreless for the first three minutes of the game. But the Pipers' tenacious, run-and-jump defense sunk its teeth into the Eagles' young ball-handlers, forcing 13 turnovers in the first quarter as they surged ahead to take a 22-9 lead into the second period. The second quarter was equally as unkind to UNW, as it was out-scored 31-9 by its neighbors down Snelling Avenue. The bright spot for the home team came in the final 2:06 when freshman
Aubrey Langrehr (Rockland, Wis./Bangor) knocked down back-to-back threes, which would be the only field goals of the period for Northwestern. The halftime score favored Hamline by a 53-18 margin.
In the locker room, Head Coach
Aaron Kahl challenged his team to win the third quarter; and rise to the challenge, they did. Korinek caught fire, scoring 10 points on four-consecutive possessions to give her 15 points on the evening. With the Ericksen Center as loud as it has been since the start of the basketball season,
Karley Loven (Swanville, Minn./Swanville) joined the scoring barrage with eight of the Eagles' final nine points to end the quarter, which UNW did indeed win, 20-18.
Marin Blom (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) tacked on two layups and
Katelyn Lindberg (Clearwater, Minn./Monticello) one before both teams began emptying their benches.
Olivia Heikes (Braham, Minn./Braham Area) sank a three-pointer for Northwestern's final bucket of the game to give her seven points for the night.
Korinek led the way once again with 15 points on 50% shooting, adding three rebounds and two steals. Loven and Blom each chipped in eight points, with the latter adding two assists.
Carli Elrod (Lindstrom, Minn./Spectrum) led the team in rebounds with four and picked up two steals, while Lindberg contributed a team-high three steals and two assists.
Ella Frazier (Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi) also dished out two assists. Although they lost the turnover battle, the Eagles were able to force 20 takeaways themselves.
UNW will begin a four-game road trip Saturday at Carleton. Tip-off in Northfield is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
