Women's Basketball Takes Dramatic 72-71 Win Over #19 USI - Curtis Earns 200th Career Victory

OVERVIEW – #19 SOUTHERN INDIANA

SCORE:  Northwood Timberwolves 72, Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles 71
RECORDS: Northwood (1-0), Southern Indiana (0-1)
LOCATION: Riepma Arena – Midland, Mich.
RECAP: Northwood notches dramatic 72-71 season-opening victory over Southern Indiana (November 9), giving head coach Jeff Curtis his 200th career victory.

FIRST QUARTER

• Northwood scored 13 of the first 20 points just over five minutes into the first. They proceeded to tack on five consecutive points and built their lead up to 18-7 with just over three minutes remaining in the opening stanza.
• Southern Indiana rebounded with authority, however, rattling off a 14-1 run to turn an 11-point deficit into a two-point lead at by the end of the period (21-19).
• Both offense were efficient in the first – NU finished at 50.0 percent overall (7-14) and 37.5 percent from 3-point range (3-8). USI ended up at 47.1 percent (8-16) and 66.7 percent from beyond the arc (4-6).

SECOND QUARTER

• Both teams were locked in a back-and-forth affair in the first half of the second, splitting the first 20 points of the stanza.
• The Timberwolves continued to chip away at the lead, but the Screaming Eagles were able to hold firm and take a 37-34 lead into the half.
• NU shot 40.0 percent of their attempts (6-15) and was 3-10 from 3-point range in the second.
• USI finished the second at 50.0 percent (7-14) and 2-3 from three.

THIRD QUARTER

• Northwood started the third on a strong note, going on a 14-9 run to retake the lead at 48-46 mid-way through the quarter.
• The two teams continued to trade points down the stretch, with Southern Indiana eventually coming back to tie the contest at 56-56 heading to the fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER

• Northwood regained the upper hand at the start of the fourth, building up a 67-62 lead five minutes in.
• The Screaming Eagles did not go quietly, rallying for nine of the next 13 points to tie the game at 71.
• With overtime looming, Ellie Taylor was able to draw a shooting foul with 2.6 seconds to play. She made one of two shots, with the single make ending up as the game-winner.
• Both teams executed at a high level in the fourth: NU shot 62.5 percent (5-8) while USI finished at 53.8 percent (7-13).

GAME STATS

• FG PERCENTAGE: Southern Indiana .526 (30-57), Northwood .462 (24-52)
• 3-PT PERCENTAGE: Southern Indiana .600 (9-15), Northwood .400 (10-25)
• FREE THROW PERCENTAGE: Southern Indiana .222 (2-9), Northwood .667 (14-21)
• REBOUNDS: Southern Indiana 33 (9 offensive), Northwood 29 (9 offensive)
• ASSISTS/TURNOVERS: Southern Indiana 18/20, Northwood 15/20
• POINTS IN THE PAINT: Southern Indiana 34, Northwood 22
• POINTS OFF TURNOVERS: Southern Indiana 22, Northwood 17
• FAST BREAK POINTS: Southern Indiana 12, Northwood 8

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Adrianna Stolicker: 21 points (5-12, 3-Ptr), three rebounds, one assist, one steal
• Kenzie Seeley: 18 points, 6-6 from the floor, five assists, two steals
• Grace German: 10 points, eight rebounds

GAME NOTES

• Coach Jeff Curtis earned his 200th win as Northwood's head coach in his 14th season on the sideline. He now stands at 200-184 overall and has 114 more wins than any other coach in program history.
• Northwood picked up their second win against Southern Indiana in the series history (six games) dating back to 2002-03.

UP NEXT

• The Timberwolves will host Bellarmine Sunday for the second game of the GLIAC/GLVC Challenge (November 11). Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.