? Northwood 77, Davenport 50 (Dec. 6)
The women’s basketball team hit the court for their first official game in the month of December on Wednesday night at Northwood. The Timberwolves improved to 4-3 overall with a 77-50 decision at Riepma Arena.
Freshman Isabel Lindo scored a season-high 16 points, which was her first career double-digit scoring game as a Panther. She doubled her previous season-high of eight points back on Nov. 11 against UMSL. Junior Lillee Gustafson recorded her 15th career (2nd in 2023-24) double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She went 6-of-8 from the floor and also had a steal and block. Sophomore Ellie Toney chipped in eight points, seven rebounds, and a season-high three assists. Sophomore Gabriela Modeva also scored her first collegiate point at the free throw line and also had two rebounds and a block.
The Panthers led briefly in the contest at 11-9 with 5:24 left in the first quarter after a Lindo triple. The Timberwolves regained the lead after a media timeout and held that lead for the rest of the game. DU trailed 22-15 after the first quarter and shot 7-of-18 from the floor.
The second quarter was the lowest scoring of the contest as Northwood scored 10 points compared to seven for Davenport. NU led 32-22 at intermission, but turned the game around in the third quarter. The lead grew to double figures at 42-31 with 4:35 remaining until halftime. The Timberwolves increased their lead to 60-40 after the third period. Davenport shot 50 percent in the quarter (7-for-14) but Northwood went 8-of-14 (3-of-6 3’s) from the floor and 9-of-9 at the charity stripe. Maeve St. John scored all 14 of her points for Northwood in the second half. Ava DiMilia led Northwood with 16 points and three steals.
? #2 Grand Valley State 66, Davenport 44 (Dec. 8)
The GLIAC opener for the women’s basketball team was no easy task as they traveled to No. 2 Grand Valley State on Friday. The Panthers came out with a fury after trailing 3-0 in the first minute. They would score the next 10 points as Alexa Kolnitys made a pair of three-pointers and Lillee Gustafson could twice on layups. DU would keep the lead at the end of the first quarter at 12-11. The Lakers shot 22.2 percent in the quarter including 0-of-6 from the arc and 3-of-9 at the free throw line.
GVSU regained the lead at 15-12 in the first two minutes of the second quarter and started the quarter on a 6-0 run. The Lakers scored six straight points again to take a 26-16 lead with 2:10 left until halftime. Jaci Walker hit a jumper with 39 seconds left in the quarter to make it 26-18 and Grand Valley State would lead 30-20 at the break. Davenport shot 36 percent in the second quarter, while the Lakers bumped up to 42 percent in the quarter but finished the first half shooting 1-of-13 from the arc.
GVSU scored the first seven points of the third quarter and seized control of the game at that point. Ellie Droste canned a triple at the 7:45 mark to extend the lead to 37-20. Gustafson got the deficit under double digits at 37-28 with 4:12 left in the quarter. DU trailed 45-34 at the end of the third quarter as Droste again nailed a three-pointer with 36 seconds left.
The Lakers outscored the Panthers 21-10 in the final quarter en route to the final score of 66-44. GVSU improved to 7-0, 1-0 GLIAC while Davenport is now 1-7, 0-1 GLIAC. Kolnitys led the Panthers with 12 points, which was a season high for her and the fourth time hitting double digits in her career. Gustafson had her second straight game with a double-double going for 11 points and 10 rebounds. It was her 16th career double-double and third this season. Mary Liedel finished with eight points and a career-high four steals in 26 minutes.
