ESCANABA, MI - The Bay Norse Women's Basketball team (18-6) would avenge their only loss of second semester on Saturday, rolling to a 76-58 victory over the Bryant and Stratton Bobcats (16-10) at home.
The Bobcats would go nearly five minutes without scoring in the first quarter, allowing the Norse to a lead. Bay College would lead by 11 midway through the second quarter, and looked to be in full control, until Bryant and Stratton would make an 8-0 run late in the half. With just a minute and half remaining before intermission the Norse turned momentum back into their favor. Taylor Hunter (FR, Gladstone, MI) would finish at the rim and get sent to the free throw line where she would hit her attempt for a three-point possession. Bay College's defense would step up, getting a stop, creating a turnover, and drawing an offensive foul. They would ride the hot hand of JuliAnn Wickman (FR, Felch, MI) who scored at the rim and hit three-pointers in consecutive trips down the floor to blow open a lead. In just a short period of time the Norse would put themselves back into control with a 43-32 lead at the half.
The Norse would not look back in the second half, and build their lead by as many as 18 in the third quarter. Any chances of a Bobcat comeback were extinguished when they would shoot a paltry 23.1% from the floor in the fourth quarter, which would allow Bay to build a 23-point lead late in the game. From there the home team would cruise to an 18-point victory.
The Norse have now won 14 of 15 games in January and February.
Bay would get an outstanding performance from Jordan Kraemer. She would score 15 points in the early going, but miss most of the second quarter due to an injury. After returning in the second half, she would end her day with 31 points on ten of ten shooting from the floor. She would also go 11 of 11 from the free throw line. Wickman would go three for three from behind the arc in the second quarter, spurring that big run for the Norse. She would end her afternoon with 13 points. Keshia Davis (FR, St. Ignace, MI) scored nine points and grabbed 14 rebounds off the bench for Bay.
The Bobcats would be led by Ashley Moses (FR, Milwaukee, WI) who would score ten points and grab three rebounds and Taynique Hawthorne (FR, Milwaukee, WI) who also scored ten points while collecting four steals. Maddy McCoy (SO, Champaign, IL) added nine points.
The Norse will be on the road Monday evening as they travel to Alpena Community College. That game will tip at 5:30 pm. They will return home on Wednesday for their final regular season home game with Gogebic Community College. That game will tip at 6 pm and is Sophomore Night and Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night.