Northeast opened the game up in the second half with better shooting, but also held Northeastern to eight points in the 3rd quarter and nine points in the 4th quarter. The Hawks led 35-34 at the half and outscored the Plainswomen, 36-17 in the second half.
“We are a very inexperienced team and we looked like it in the first half,” said Matt Svehla, Northeast head coach. “In those first 20 minutes, our defense was not very good, and as a result, we put them on the foul line far too much.”
Northeastern made 17 of 21 free throws in the first half.
Svehla said that was an item he addressed with his players during halftime.
He told them, “Play better defense. Play better post defense, don’t give up penetration and keep them off the free throw line. Our second half was much better defensively and we slowly got control of the game.”
Mykala Baylor led the Hawks with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Sierra Bell had 12 points, followed by Lauren Hunstad with eight points and Kori Fischer and Irene Sanz with seven points each.
Northeast will play next in the North Dakota State School of Science Classic in Wahpeton, ND, on Friday as it will take on the host school at
1 p.m.
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PHOTO CUTLINE
Freshman Lauren Hunstad (14), of the Northeast Community College basketball team, drives the lane in the team’s season opener against Northeastern Junior College (CO) Wednesday afternoon. The Hawks defeated the Plainswomen on its home court in Norfolk, 71-51.