UNIVERSITY CENTER, MI – The Bay Women's Basketball Team (5-14, 1-4 MCCAA) faced a team with a hot shooting hand in the Delta College Pioneers (10-9, 4-1 MCCAA) and fell by a final of 91-55.
The Norse are in an unenviable position of having to redefine their identity in the middle of the season. A pair of guards, Alaina Trudeau (SO, Gladstone, MI) and Claire van Ginhoven (FR, Gladstone, MI) missed this contest and will be out for the foreseeable future. It forces Bay College to forge ahead shorthanded.
The Pioneers showed little sympathy for the position their guests are in on Saturday afternoon. Delta regularly employs a full court press and aggressive trapping defense, and did not hesitate to use their pressure to gain the advantage, forcing Bay into ten turnovers in the first quarter alone.
As if the defensive pressure wasn't enough for the home team, they also were incredibly efficient on the offensive end. The Pioneers shot 51.4% from the floor in the first half, including four of five from three-point range. They never really let the Norse get comfortable, taking a 22-9 lead from the first quarter and extending it to a 47-20 lead at the half.
Very little changed in the third quarter as the Pioneers made sure there would be no dramatic comeback in this game. They would eventually grab their biggest lead of the game a few seconds into the fourth quarter, as a Kayla Howell (FR, Clarksville, TN) three-pointer made the score 83-33.
With the game comfortably in hand, Delta stripped back their aggressive approach, which allowed the Norse to find some footing and work offensively. They were able to shoot 42.9% in that period and put up 22 points, 12 of them coming from Alyssa Cretton (SO, Niagara, WI). Delta's offense finally cooled off, allowing Bay to cut into the lead before all was said and done.
In the end it was Delta College turning in a dominating performance, however. They shot over 50% in the first three quarters, and 43.4% for the game. They would hit nine of 19 from three, and ten of 14 from the free throw line. The Pioneers ended up with 11 offensive rebounds and 39 total boards compared to Bay's 30. They also forced 26 Norse turnovers while only giving it up 17 times.
The overall numbers for the Norse were bolstered by the fourth quarter surge. They ended up shooting 30.9% for the game. Just three turnovers in that fourth quarter helped keep that overall number in check.
Cretton ended up pacing the Norse with 19 points and four rebounds. Tianna Taylor (SO, Gwinn, MI) added ten points and four rebounds while Kassidy Roll (FR, Hermansville, MI) grabbed seven rebounds.
Catarina Juarez (SO, Saginaw, MI) came off the bench to lead all scorers. She hit on three of four from three-point and had 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Destiny Harrison (SO, Saginaw, MI) also had a big game with 24 points and had nine points, four steals, and three blocks. Howell connected on four of five from behind the arc and ended with 16 points, six assists, and six steals. Desiree Jackson (SO, Detroit, MI) tallied 13 points and seven rebounds.
The Norse will have a chance to bounce back at home on Wednesday evening. They will a welcome first-year program in Kirtland Community College into town. The Firebirds are 1-9 overall and 1-3 overall as they entered play on Saturday, a home game against Grand Rapids Community College. Wednesday's game will tip at 5:30 pm.