Box Score

Valley City, N.D. – A strong first half by host Valley City State and a late run in the second were too much for the Minnesota Morris women's basketball team to overcome this evening (Dec. 7), as they fell 71-63 in non-conference action.

The Vikings shot better that 61% from the floor in the first half, missing in just 10 total shots as they built up a 35-29 lead. The Cougars shot just 41% in the first half, but rebounded with a 46% clip in the second while also limiting VCSU to a 41% mark for the period.

Valley City State (6-8) needed every bit of their first half success to maintain the lead, as the Cougars stayed close the entire way. Morris (2-4) got within one late in the half, after a Kelsey Erickson (Mora, Minn.) jumper made the score 30-29 with just over a minute to go.

The Vikings answered with the final five points of the half, however, to take a six-point lead into the break.

In the second the Cougars drew within one again after a pair of Emily Mehr (Aitkin, Minn.) free throws made it 40-39 at the 16:21 mark, but a cold spell over the next five minutes put Morris in a 10-point hole as Valley City State capitalized on UMM errors to take a 49-39 lead midway through the half.

Mehr finished with 16 points, hitting double figures for the fourth time in the season's five games, and finished as one of two Cougars on top of the leader board as Jenni Noordmans (Hancock, Minn.) led all players with 17.

The Cougars would not go away, though, and rattled off eight straight points over a two-minute span, capped by a three-point play from Emily Auch (Benson, Minn.) at the 5:26 mark to get back within two at 57-55.

Valley City State quickly answered to go back up four and kept the Cougars at bay as they finished off their eight point win.

The loss is the third straight for the Cougars, and comes as they post their second best shooting night of the season with a .439 mark from the floor. Free throws and rebounds were their detriment however, as they went just .474 at the line and pulled down just 27 boards, each season lows.

Morris will get right back to action on Friday (Dec. 9), returning home to Jim Gremmels Court to host Mayville State in a rematch of their Nov. 29 meeting where the Comets took an 88-76 win. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.