An early 24-1 run proved to be the difference in the Red Raiders 89-44 home win over College of Saint Mary in a GPAC match-up played today in the Bultman Center. Northwestern improves to 1-1 in the conference, 4-1 overall; CSM drops to 0-2 in league play, 1-6 overall.

Down 4-0 with just over a minute gone by, Northwestern outscored the Flames 24-1 over an eight minute stretch to take command 24-5. Sammy Blum drained three from beyond the arc and Kassidy De Jong scored nine during the decisive run. College of Saint Mary scored the final six points to make the score 24-11 by the end of the first quarter. 

Northwestern began the second quarter with a 7-2 run and then closed with a 15-2 surge to put the hosts up 49-20 after consecutive baskets by Alexis Toering. Coach Yaw's squad shot a modest 43% in the first half, 39% (5/13) from the three-point line. They buckled down defensively, holding the Flames to 1/7 from the arc and 35% from the field. 

The Red Raiders surge continued into the second half, scoring the first seven points of the third quarter to take a 56-20 lead on a pair of free throws by Darbi Gustafson. The lead was stretched to 68-29 after Northwestern finished the third quarter on a 10-0 run.

A basket by Gustafson pushed the Northwestern lead to 46 (75-29) as the Red Raiders gave up just four field goals over a 13-minute span. 

Northwestern shot 43% for the game, 33% (9/27) from the three-point line and was effective from the free throw line, making 22/27 attempts. De Jong led all players with 17 points and 13 rebounds and moved into ninth place in career scoring with 1,719 points, passing Karmen Woelber (1984-88). Gustafson contributed 14 points five boards and Sammy Blum scored 11 and led her team with six assists. Haley Birks netted eight points and became the 34th player in program history to score 1,000 points in a career. 

The Red Raiders dominated the boards, 56-26, including a 27-13 edge on the offensive end. Jada Cunningham pulled down a career-best eight boards to go with seven points.

College of Saint Mary was led by Lynsey Curran with 10 points, draining 2-of-8 three-pointers. 

Northwestern heads on the road for two GPAC match-ups next week, beginning with a Wednesday night match-up at Mount Marty in Yankton, S.D.