WOLVES COME UP SHORT IN BATTLE OF CONFERENCE TITANS

Dec. 30, 2001

Northern State stuck around, but was unable to turn the tide in a 53-59 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference loss at Southwest State (Marshall, Minn.) Sunday night.

The two teams came into the contest as the only NSIC unbeatens. Defending conference champion Southwest (9-3, 4-0 NSIC) was able to defend its homecourt by turning a see-saw first half into a 15-8 run to start the second and take a 10 point lead with 13 minutes remaining. In a low scoring game in which neither team got much going offensively (NSU shot 37 percent for the game, SSU 36 percent), it was all the Mustangs needed to hold on for the win.

One offensive bright spot the Mustangs had no answer for was senior point guard Holly Schaunaman (Leola), who tied a career high with 19 points almost primarily by slashing her way to the rack. Schaunaman also had six rebounds, four steals and two assists on the night. Freshman post Natalie Hopkins (St. Louis Park, Minn.) was NSU's other double-digit scorer with 11 points to go with a game-high eight rebounds. SSU was led by Nicole Bullock's 20 points. Carilee Acor led the Mustangs in rebounding with six boards.

NSU, which dropped to 8-4 on the season and 3-1 in league play, will return home next weekend to face Minnesota State-Moorhead (Jan. 4) and Minnesota-Crookston (Jan. 5).