No.17 Northwestern came up just short in its upset bid against No.4 Southeastern (Fla.), losing 80-75 in a match-up between ranked teams played today in the Pizza Ranch Classic.
The Red Raiders are 2-3 on the year, with all three losses coming to ranked teams and Southeastern improves to 5-0.
Darbi Gustafson matched her career high with 22 points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds, her 10th career double-double.
Kassidy De Jong netted 19 points and both
Paige Danner and
Renee Maneman chipped in 13. Maneman dished out a season-high 10 assists, her fifth career double-double.
The Key Moments...
Southeastern scored the first nine points of the game but a 9-3 Northwestern run over the final four minutes made it a one-point game, 21-20, by quarters end;
Paige Danner scored eight points in the opening period, knocking down a pair of three-pointers.
A basket by De Jong gave Northwestern its first lead in the opening moments of the second quarter and the Raiders extended their advantage to as much as 10 (38-28) after a three-pointer by
Haley Birks with 1:30 left in the first half. A three-point play by Ana Richter ended a NW run but two free throws by Maneman made it a nine-point game (40-31) at the half. Northwestern shot 75% in the second quarter compared to 25% by the Fire.
Northwestern led for most of the third quarter until the Fire went on a 14-5 run, led by Halee Printz with a pair of three-pointers, to go ahead 52-51. The Red Raiders grabbed the lead back, however, with two Gustafson free throws with two seconds remaining, making the score 53-52.
Maneman began the final period with a jumper in the lane, giving her team a three-point lead (55-52) but Southeastern surged ahead for good with an 11-2 run, finished off with six consecutive points by Richter. Northwestern would get as close as three (78-75) after a De Jong three-pointer with three seconds left but the Fire broke the Red Raiders press and scored a lay-up as time expired.
By the Numbers...
Stat of the Game: Northwestern with 23 turnovers, Southeastern 7
Northwestern shot 53% for the game compared to 47% by the Fire; the Red Raiders were 7/18 (39%) from the three-point line, Southeastern was 32% (6/19).
The Red Raiders controlled the boards against the tall front line of the Fire, outrebounding Southeastern 36-29; SEU had a slight edge on the offensive glass, 11-9
Both De Jong and Gustafson have scored in double figures in every game this season; Gustafson has a pair of 20+ games
Maneman is now just one assist shy of tying Becca Hurley for third place all-time in career assists; Maneman, with 533 assists, has 11 games with 10+ assists
Southeastern was led by Ana Richter with 30 points and seven rebounds, going 14-for-18 from the field; Kentucky transfer Jaycee Coe netted 15 and grabbed five boards
