SUPERIOR, Wis. -- The Cougars and the Yellow jackets. 

Both teams standing strong within the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference's women's basketball title race. 

One team lays a six-game winning streak on the line. The other look to keep its conference home game record unblemished. 

UMAC officials sited the contest as the conference's "Game of the Week." 

All the storylines were there, and through the first half of play it looked like the University of Minnesota Morris was going to be in good position to land a blow to the University of Wisconsin-Superior that hasn't been felt since the program joined the conference in 2015. 

Then the Yellow jackets continued to play their game. 

Failing to overcome a 27-8 third quarter scoring advantage, the Cougars' saw their six-game UMAC streak - and five straight wins - snapped with a 71-50 loss to UW-Superior Saturday. 

The Cougars traded blow with the jackets for much of the first half. In fact, after a quarter of play, the Cougars trailed by just a single point, 19-18. The Jackets were able to maintain a two-possession lead on Minnesota Morris for much of the second quarter. A key reason the Cougars were able to stay within striking distance was largely due to the play of forward Kendra Raths, guard Lexus Eagle Chasing and Elli Stevenson. 

In 15 minutes of action, Raths went 3-of-5 from the floor for seven points and grabbed four rebounds. Eagle Chasing also scored seven points after going a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor in the first half while Stevenson lead the Cougars with nine points. For the game, Raths and Eagle Chasing were the top performers for Minnesota Morris, scoring 17 and 11 points respectively.  Aside from the trio of Raths, Eagle Chasing and Stevenson, a key to the Cougars maintaining the ability to stay within striking distance was the ability to connect from the floor, going 12-of-22 in the first half. 

The third quarter was one the Cougars wish they could forget entirely. 

After Kendra Raths' jumper at the 8:55-mark of the third quarter, the Cougars went ice cold. Meanwhile, the Yellow jackets went red hot. In fact, before the Senior's pair of free throw attempts at the 3:46-mark of the third quarter, UW-Superior went on a 15-0 run to extend the lead to 21 points. The biggest struggle for the Cougars was the inability to win on the glass, being out-rebounded 37-26 which included a 13-8 disadvantage with offensive rebounds. In fact, when it came to points of turnovers, 2nd chance points, bench points and points in the paint, the Cougars were outperformed. 

The fourth quarter was better for the Cougars, outscoring the Yellow jackets 13-10, but were unable to dig out of the devastating third quarter. 

The Cougars (10-7, 7-2 UMAC) will be back in action on Jan. 22 with a home non-conference match up against Trinity Bible College. Tip-off is set for 5 :30 P.M.