Ferris State Takes Division Leader NMU To Double-Overtime In Home Thriller

Postgame Interview & Highlights 

Big Rapids, Mich. - In a dramatic double overtime thriller, the Ferris State University women's basketball team fought to force both extra sessions, but fell 70-66 to the Northern Michigan Wildcats in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play on Thursday (Feb. 14) inside Wink Arena.

NMU came into the contest leading the GLIAC North Division standings.

Two free throws by Ferris State junior forward Riley Blair with 3.3 seconds to play in regulation forced the initial overtime.

With 20.1 seconds left in the first overtime, Bulldog senior guard Alexis Bush hit a triple to tie the game at 61-61. After the Wildcats double-dribbled with one second on the clock in the extra session, the Bulldogs sent the game to a second overtime.

Ferris State had the ball with 9.7 seconds to go in the second overtime, but could not convert on a drive to the bucket.

For the Bulldogs, Bush finished with a team-best 21 points. Sophomore guard Shaniya Huggins dished out 10 assists, while junior forward Brayene Benner pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Blair finished with 15 points, while junior guard Renee Sturm picked up 10 in the contest.

The Wildcats were led by the 25 points of Darby Youngstrom, who also had eight boards in the game. Lexi Smith finished with 18 points while Baleigh Delorit had 15.

Ferris State shot 39.7 from the field, while the Wildcats shot 42.1 percent. Northern Michigan went 14-21 from the line, and while the Bulldogs were more efficient at 80 percent, finished 12-15.

From beyond the arc, the Wildcats shot just 25 percent but hit eight times, doubling up Ferris State's four on 12 shots from three-point land.

The game featured eight tied scores and seven lead changes. The Bulldogs dominated the second quarter 22-5, but were outscored in the third 21-14 and 15-9 in the fourth quarter.

Ferris State will host the Michigan Tech Huskies on Saturday (Feb. 16) at Wink Arena with tipoff for the Senior Day game set for 1 p.m. (ET).