ESCANABA, MI - The Bay College Norse Women's Basketball Team (21-7) hosted their first every postseason game on Wednesday night and celebrated the event in big fashion.  The Norse would dominate the Gogebic Community College Samsons, taking the game by a final score of 78-40.

After an early exchange of the lead, the Norse would take control of the matchup midway through the first quarter.  The Samsons would hit a three with around four and a half minutes left in the first quarter, but would go cold from the field.  The result was a 12-2 Bay College run through the end of the quarter that gave the home team a 27-12 lead at the quarter.

The scoring drought would drag on for Gogebic.  They did not score their next point from the field until 1:43 remaining in the second quarter.  With their leading scorer, Bailey Froberg (SO, L'Anse, MI), sidelined due to an injury suffered earlier this week, the Samsons were buried by an offensive onslaught brought on by an efficient Norse attack.  Bay College would shoot 53.3% from the floor in the first half, including ten of 16 from behind the three-point arc.  The Norse would hold a commanding 46-17 lead at halftime.

Bay did not relent in the second half and continue to build on their lead.  While their offense was still effective, they would not remain as efficient as they did in the first half.  The Norse made up for that by creating 13 turnovers in the second half.  While Gogebic would shoot 50.0% from the field in the fourth quarter, the Norse would end up cruising to a 38-point victory.

Bay College ended the game shooting 46.6% from the floor and hitting 17 of 35 three-point attempts.  Gogebic picked up their pace in the second half, finishing with a 30.0% shooting percentage, but hit just five of 25 from deep.  The Samsons tallied 20 turnovers in the loss that ended their season.

The Norse would "share the wealth" offensively as 12 of their 13 players would tally points.  Leading the charge was Haley Trudell (FR, Rock, MI) who hit five of from behind the three-point line on her way to 17 points.  Jordan Kraemer (SO, Norway, MI) would end her night with 12 points and six rebounds, while Brooke Dalgord (FR, Garden, MI) hit three of four from behind the arc and finish with 11 points.  Jordan Belleville (SO, St. Ignace, MI) would tally ten assists and not turn the ball over once, while Keshia Davis (FR, St. Ignace, MI) would grab eight rebounds. 

Maddy Conkright (FR, Bruce Crossing, MI) led the Samsons with 13 points.  Haley Grover (FR, Big Fork, MN) ended her night with eight points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Airianna White (FR, Kenosha, WI) grabbed 12 rebounds.

Meanwhile in Bismark, North Dakota, the Dakota College Jacks (11-20) squared off with the United Tribes Technical College Thunderbirds (14-16).  The Jacks led by five at the half, and built a 13-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.  The Thunderbirds would come storming back in the final period, outscoring their opponents 27-13 in the fourth quarter, and barely edging out the Jacks by a score of 76-75.

The NJCAA Region XIII Final Game will take place on Sunday, March 3 at 2 pm.  United Tribes Technical College will host Bay College and the winner of that game will be the Region Champion and have the opportunity to move on to face the NJCAA Region IX Champion on Mach, 9.  The winner of the March 9 District Championship game will advance to the National Championship that will be held in Harrison, Arkansas on March 19-23.