Ferris Women Drop Second-Straight In U.P.

Marquette, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's basketball team could not pick up a win on its two-game trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula as the Bulldogs dropped a 75-56 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) decision to the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Sunday (Dec. 19) at the Berry Events Center in Marquette.

The contest was the second in as many days for the Bulldogs, who previously lost at nationally 12th-ranked Michigan Tech on Saturday (Dec. 18). 

Northern Michigan bolted out to a 32-24 halftime edge, but FSU was able to score the opening eight points of the second frame to tie the game back up at 32 only two minutes into the second stanza.

However, NMU used a run of its own to push its lead back up to 49-36 with 11:15 remaining and the Bulldogs could never pull back within striking distance.

Senior forward Tiara Adams (Lansing/Waverly) led the Bulldogs with 17 points in the outing.  Junior guard Tricia Principe (Kalamazoo/Mattawan) added 11 points, but those were the only two FSU players to reach double-figure scoring.

The Wildcats had four players reach double-figure scoring with Staci Beckel scoring a team-high 20 points for NMU.  Steffani Stoeger chipped in 16 points, Kellie Rietveld added 15 points and Chelsea Lyons scored 12 points.

FSU shot only 33.3% (17-51) for the game and was two-of-15 (13.3%) beyond the three-point arc along with 20-of-22 (90.9%) at the charity line.

Meanwhile, NMU was 23-of-53 (43.4%) overall and hit seven-of-20 (35%) three's along with 22-of-31 (71%) free throws.

Ferris also had 18 turnovers compared to 15 for the Wildcats and were outrebounded 36-35 for the game with NMU grabbing 10 offensive boards.  The Wildcats also netted nine steals with FSU recording four thefts.

Northern Michigan took advantage of FSU's turnovers by outscoring Ferris 23-11 in points off miscues.

Ferris State dropped to 5-5 overall and 2-4 in league play with the setback while NMU improved to 6-4 overall and secured its first league win of the year with a 1-2 GLIAC record.

The FSU women's team returns to action after the Christmas holiday by taking part in the Lady Bulldogs Holiday Classic hosted by Bowie State (Md.) on Dec. 29-30 in Bowie, Md.  FSU faces Virginia Union in the opening game of the two-day event on Wednesday, Dec. 29, at 4 p.m. (ET) before taking on the host Bulldogs the following day (Dec. 30) at 6 p.m. (ET).

Ferris' next league contest also represents its next home tilt when FSU hosts Lake Superior State in GLIAC play on Thursday, Jan. 6, at Jim Wink Arena.

Bulldog Bites: The game featured only two lead changes with the score tied four times ..... Junior Lindsey Pettit (Portland) dished out three assists as part of FSU's team total of 12 helpers ..... NMU registered 11 assists with two blocked shots ..... Junior guard Kelsey DeNoyelles (Mt. Pleasant/Sacred Heart) had a team-high seven rebounds for the Bulldogs.