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Enter The Holidays At 8-7
The Northwest College women’s basketball team will take an 8-7 record into the holiday break after splitting a pair of weekend games in Bismarck, North Dakota.
The Lady Trappers concluded the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule with an 84-62 win over United Tribes Saturday after falling for the second time this season to Bismarck State College in an 88-53 rout Friday. Bismarck State toppled the Trapper women 82-66 in a first meeting at Powell.
BISMARCK STATE 88 LADY TRAPPERS 53
The effects of the long road trip showed in the opening game. The hometown Mystics ran completely away in the first half from a flat Lady Trappers team, which stepped onto the court at 6 p.m. after traveling all day. Bismarck State blistered NWC for 29 and 33 points in the opening two quarters to pile up a 62-27 halftime lead.
Don’t take anything away from Bismarck, Trapper Coach Cam Levett said. “They’re a very good team. On this day, we were not.”
Bismarck forced the Trappers out of their game. Northwest committed 32 turnovers and at one point in the first half watched the Mystics go on a 22-0 run. In its first half blitzkrieg, Bismarck converted 25 of 45 field goal attempts for 57 percent and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
The Trapper women hit only 16 of 62 field goal tries for the game for 26 percent. They were seven of 32 for 22 percent in 3-point shooting.
Not a single Lady Trapper scored in double figures. Thirteen players were in the scoring column for Northwest. Adela Smutna led with nine points followed by Riley Aiono with seven, Jenna Lohrenz and Sapirah Broussard with six, Tess Henry four, Lily Henry, Samiyah Worrell, Kendall Wright, Raquel Turner and Lucy Tuigamala three each, and Aubrie Stenerson, Melissa Martinez and Taylor Groll two each.
LADY TRAPPERS 84 UNITED TRIBES 62
On Saturday, Northwest carried the fight to United Tribes. The Lady Trappers led 23-20 after one period and 39-33 at the half. A dominant third quarter blew the game open for the Trapper women, who poured 26 points to extend their margin to 65-47 going into the final period.
In this contest, it was Northwest forcing the turnovers (17), while giving up the basketball only 10 times themselves. NWC scored 25 points on the 17 turnovers by United Tribes.
The Lady Trappers found their shooting touch Saturday, including 11 of 29 from 3-point land for 38 percent. Smutna, Worrell and Tess Henry each dropped in three 3-point baskets.
Worrell and Tess Henry led NWC in scoring with 17 points each. Smutna had 11 points and Aiono 10. Lily Henry chipped in nine, Broussard eight, Turner and Tuigamala five each and Martinez two.
Northwest upped its overall field goal percentage to 43 percent on 32 of 74 shooting. NWC had a 48-42 edge in rebounds, with Smutna grabbing nine and Tuigamala seven.
The Trapper women return to action Jan. 4, hosting Williston State College.