MORRIS, Minn. - Minnesota Morris used a pair of impressive spurts to gain a big halftime lead en route to a 67-47 win over St. Scholastica Saturday in UMAC women's basketball action at Jim Gremmels Court.

With the game tied at 5 early on, the Cougars went on their first big run. A Kendra Raths lay-in started a Cougar 12-0 run that gave them a 17-5 edge. Elli Stevenson drained a conventional 3 and added an old-fashioned 3-point play in the stretch. UMM would take a 22-13 lead into the second quarter.

The Cougars put together a more impressive run to start the second quarter. Bailey Miller made the first shot from the field in the quarter to put the Cougars back up by double-digits at 25-13. The lead would only grow from there. A Raths 3-point play and a Miller lay-in gave the Cougars their first 20-point lead at 34-13. Abby Van Kempen delivered back-to-back baskets and Mauren Thiesen drained a 3 to give UMM a 30-point lead at 43-13 with 2:43 left in the half. The Cougars scored the first 21 points of the second quarter and went on a 22-0 run that spanned both quarters. UMM held St. Scholastica scoreless for more than eight minutes to start the quarter. The finally scored their first points of the stanza with 1:51 left in the half. The Cougars took a 45-19 lead into the locker room.

The Minnesota Morris lead stayed in the 20s for most of the second half.

Van Kempen had a big day playing against her older sister Holly of St. Scholastica by recording a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Raths scored 15 while pulling down seven boards. Stevenson had 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.

Minnesota Morris (2-8, 2-1 in UMAC) is off until December 30 when they hit the road for a non-conference game at St. Catherine.