SUPERIOR, Wis.: The UW-Superior women's basketball team held visiting North Central to a combined six points in the second and third quarters and spread the offense around, cruising to a 86-35 victory at Mertz Mortorelli Gym Saturday.
The Yellowjackets limited North Central to just 18 percent shooting and nine made field goals, while forcing 22 turnovers. Thirteen of the 18 to see the floor scored points as UWS moved to 14-2 overall and 7-1 in the UMAC. North Central fell to 8-6 overall and 3-4 in the league.
Emily Carpenter (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) scored a game-high-tying 14 points on the strength of 4-of-6 shooting from long range. She added four assists and collected an offensive rebound.
Hannah Norlin (Litchfield, Minn./Litchfield) picked up her seventh double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 boards to go with three blocked shots in 20 minutes.
Eva Reinertsen (Duluth, Minn./Homeschooled) and
Taylor Kane (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) (nine points each) and
Ellie Leadstrom (Superior, Wis./Superior) and
Morgan Anderson (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) (eight each) also made solid scoring contributions.
Superior blocked eight NCU shots, a season high against Division III opposition. The Yellowjackets had 10 against Bemidji State.
After the Rams scored the first basket of the game, UWS used a 12-2 run to jump out to a 12-4 lead with 6:26 remaining in the opening quarter. Carpenter ended the stretch with the second of her two consecutive 3-pointers. The Rams closed the quarter with an 8-0 run to cut it to a 20-18 game heading into the second.
The Rams were scoreless from the floor in the middle frame, hitting just four free throws in the quarter.
Marissa Ruiz (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) and Carpenter combined for back-to-back treys, opening a 30-18 advantage at the 7:06 mark. The lead grew to as many as 19 points when Reinertsen hit a layup with 1:11 remaining in the half to make it 40-21.
Superior stretched it a 32-point game by the end of the third quarter, as North Central was only able to muster two made free throws in the period.
The largest lead of the game came courtesy of a
Bailey Folkers (Crookston, Minn./Crookston) layup, off of an assist from
Linnea Bollum (Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley), to make it 86-32 with 2:07 remaining.
Leadstrom, Folkers and
Katie White (Pequot Lakes, Minn./Pequot Lakes) each scored five points in the second half, while
Natalia Verdejo (Mairena del Aljarafe, Spain/Maristas San Fernando) and
Lindsey Jalivay (Eagan, Minn./Rosemount) chipped in four points apiece in the final 20 minutes.
UWS held a 52-34 edge on the boards, tying for its season-best rebounding margin of plus-18.
The 'Jackets host Finlandia Monday at 5:30 itn their final non-conference game of the season.
