ASHLAND, Wis. - After losing their first games of the season, the Minnesota Morris women's basketball team has bounced back nicely to win three straight following their 83-76 win Saturday at Northland in their UMAC opener.

For the second straight night, sophomore guard Mauren Thiesen led the Cougars in scoring with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor and 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Bailey Miller scored 13 points. Kendra Raths, Elli Stevenson, and Abby Van Kempen all added 11 points with Van Kempen having a near double-double with nine rebounds.

The Cougars shot over 50 percent from the floor for the second time in three games and held Northland to 33 percent shooting in the second half as the Cougars overcame a three-point halftime deficit.

Minnesota Morris quickly evaporated that deficit early in the second half. Thiesen, who scored 17 of her 24 points in the second half, gave the Cougars their first lead since halfway through the first quarter with a jumper to make it 47-46 a minute into the third. Stevenson and Raths followed with back-to-back 3s to put UMM up 53-49. Later, down by three, another Stevenson 3 near the end of the quarter tied the game at 64 going into the final stanza.

After exchanging baskets to open the fourth, Thiesen, singlehandedly, gave the Cougars a comfortable lead. She scored 13 straight points for the Cougars, including three 3s, that gave UMM a 79-71 edge with five minutes left. The Cougars would maintain that edge the rest of the way.

Minnesota Morris (3-4, 1-0 in UMAC) starts a seven-game homestand Tuesday night against Mayville State at 5:30 p.m. at Jim Gremmels Court.