Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 16, 2024) - Despite a 27-13 final quarter for the North Central College women's basketball team, the Cardinals fell 82-78 in a battle with Colorado College on Saturday night inside Reid Arena to close out the Colorado College Tip-Off Classic.
Jocelyn Trotter scored the three field goals of the game for the Cardinals to pull within four, 11-7. Biz Daly ended a small Tigers run before Megan McClure hit a jumper with 1:20 to play in the opener quarter as North Central trailed 19-13. Ameli Sanchez knocked down a pair of free throws as Colorado held a 19-15 advantage after 10 minutes of play.
Daly ended a 7-0 Tigers run with a jumper early in the second quarter. Josylin Simmons-Doxie and Cate Uhren each scored to keep the Cardinals within reach, down 33-21. Grace Keiffer hit her first three of the day before Trotter scored on a fastbreak layup after a steal to bring North Central back within 10, 38-28. Keiffer buried another three to highlight a 12-0 run for the Cardinals to close out the first half. North Central trailed 38-34 at the break.
Simmons-Doxie and Kieffer each hit jumpers early in the third quarter to keep pace with Colorado, down 46-42 with just over six minutes to play in the period. Trotter ended a 14-4 run from Colorado with a basket, assisted by McClure. The Cardinals kept battling as McClure found the basket for her eighth point of the evening. The Tigers held a 69-51 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
Kieffer sank a basket on the first Cardinal possession of the fourth quarter before Daly scored her 10th point of the game. After a successful trip to the free throw line from Uhren, she knocked down a deep ball to bring the North Central deficit to single digits, 71-64. The Cardinals fed the hot hand as Uhren hit another three pointer with 4:23 left to play. Daly's layup brought North Central back within a possession, 73-71. Colorado responded to extend their lead to six before Uhren sank three free throws with 46 seconds left to force a Tigers timeout. Colorado hit two free throws before Daly knocked down a deep two-pointer, but Healy Bledsoe split a pair of free throws with five seconds left to give the Tigers a four-point edge and secure an 82-78 victory.
Kieffer led the Cardinals with 17 points and five assists while Trotter was right behind her with 16 points and eight rebounds. Daly (14) and Uhren (13) each scored in double figures as well. North Central shot 51.8% from the field and 55.6% from beyond the arc, their best shooting performance on the young season.
North Central returns to Illinois for their next game as the Cardinals conclude a four-game road stand at Aurora University on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. inside Thornton Gymnasium.
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