MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris women's basketball team fell in overtime, 88–82, to North Central University in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play Wednesday evening in Morris, Minn.
 
The Cougars drop to 4–11 overall and 1–1 in conference play, while the Rams improve to 9–7 overall and 2–1 in the UMAC.
 
Shelby Mortenson scored the first basket for the Cougars to match the Rams' opening points. A five-point run by NCU was stopped after Claire Stark grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the putback. Grace Perry cut the deficit to one possession after connecting from behind the arc. Maddy Grove hit a jumper to level the game with five minutes left in the opening frame. Grove later found Brooke Ver Steeg on a fast break for her first points of the game. Late in the quarter, the Rams pushed their lead to six. North Central closed out the first quarter with a pair of free throws to take a 19–11 lead.
 
Gianna Klarenbeek opened the second quarter scoring with a three-pointer assisted by Gabby Randt. Perry continued the early run for UMM with a basket inside. Anna Myers powered through contact to complete a three-point play, cutting the lead to two. Grove tied the game after going two-for-two at the free-throw line. Stark matched the Rams' scoring with a layup, then followed with another basket and a free throw to give UMM its first lead of the game. A five-point rally from the Rams reclaimed the advantage for North Central, which took a 30–27 lead into halftime.
 
The Rams opened the second half with a five-point run that Perry ended with a midrange jumper. Free throws from Mortenson and a three-pointer from Perry tied the game at 34–34. Klarenbeek created another lead change with a driving layup. The lead continued to trade hands as Mortenson scored for the Cougars, followed by another Perry three-pointer. Down the stretch, Grove hit a midrange floater to keep Minnesota Morris in front. Perry added another three, but the Rams responded, sending the Cougars into the fourth quarter with a 40–37 lead.
 
North Central opened the fourth quarter with a layup, which Stark quickly answered on the other end. Grove extended the lead to five with a pair of free throws, and Ver Steeg followed with another from the line. The Rams cut the seven-point deficit to three, but Grove answered with a basket in the paint, and Ver Steeg restored the lead at the stripe.
 
With under five minutes remaining, the Rams pulled within two and then tied the game by completing a seven-point run. Each team went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line to keep the game tied with three minutes left. Klarenbeek knocked down a three-pointer, but the Rams responded with three made free throws. Perry found Stark down low, but North Central pulled ahead with a three-pointer. Another lead change followed after a layup from Stark. The Rams regained the lead at the line in the final minute for the eighth lead change of the game. Stark scored six points in a one-minute span to force an NCU timeout. With the score tied at 70–70 and the shot clock turned off, the Cougar defense held to force overtime.
 
Klarenbeek drove to the basket for the opening score of the extra frame, but the Rams answered immediately. Stark made a pair of free throws to give Minnesota Morris the lead, but NCU hit a three-pointer to take its first lead of overtime. Ver Steeg tied the game at 77–77 with a tough two-point basket. The Rams extended their lead to four with two minutes remaining and sealed the win at the free-throw line.
 
Stark led the Cougars with a season-high 20 points, while Perry followed with 17. Grove and Klarenbeek also reached double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively. As a team, the Cougars shot 38.4 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three-point range, and 76.9 percent from the free-throw line. Ver Steeg led the team with five assists.
 
Defensively, Perry recorded her first double-double of the season, leading the team with 10 rebounds. Mortenson added nine boards, while Klarenbeek finished with seven. Minnesota Morris recorded 15 steals, with Ver Steeg tallying a team-high five. Mortenson and Stark each recorded a block.
 
The Cougars hit the road on Saturday to continue UMAC play with a 1 p.m. tip-off at the University of Northwestern.