Concordia university (0-2) dropped a heart-breaker 54-53 as northern michigan (1-0) buried a clutch layup with just two seconds to play while freshman jamie jones' three-pointer from 35 feet out fell short as time expired. Jones drilled an 18 foot jump shot with under a minute to play to give the bears a one point lead but it wasn't enough for the bears who drop their home opener at the wildwood lodge tip-off classic at the gangelhoff center.

jones, playing in her second collegiate game, was lights-out for cu in the first half as she scored 12 points on 5-5 shooting including a pair of three-pointers. She wouldn't score again until her jumper with under a minute in the contest and finished with 14 points on 6-10 shooting with three rebounds and a steal in 28 minutes off the bench.

concordia struggled to get going as nmu led for much of the opening half. Concordia, who trailed by as much as six (12-6, 14:43), took their first lead with 3:10 remaining in the half when jones drained a three to put them up 29-28. Nmu responded with five unanswered but concordia was able to re-tie the score at 33 at the break.

in the second half, the wildcats and bears jostled for position with neither team mounting a lead of more than four points in the entire 20 minute half. Concordia took their biggest lead of the game, 48-44, with 6:07 to play when katie laviolette converted a pair of free throws and led from the 7:42 mark in the second half until the wildcats buried the layup with two seconds to play.

concordia struggled from the field for the second consecutive game, shooting just 31.1% (19-61) from the field, 17.6% (3-17) from downtown and 54.5% (12-22) from the line. Northern michigan didn't fare much better, but managed to outshoot the bears in all three categories, shooting 35.1% (20-57) from the field, 38.5% (5-13) from three and 64.3% (9-14) at the line.

the bears dominated the paint, outscoring the wildcats 30-18. Junior center amanda behnke just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds while adding a pair of blocks. Behnke struggled from the field, however, shooting 2-7 and managing 8-17 from the foul line.

three other golden bears added six points, junior guards kelly lund, laviolette and mary schroeder. Lund had six boards, laviolette added six assists and schroeder had four rebounds and two assists for cu.

sophomore forward candace olstad, who shot just 1-12 and had two points to follow up her career-best 14 on wednesday at augustana, was solid on the glass with six rebounds while filling the stat sheet with two assists, a block and a steal in 24 minutes of action.

the defensive bright spot for concordia, was their 7-3 blocked shot advantage led by junior center whitney smetana's four in just 12 minutes of action of the bench. Smetana also added two points and two rebounds in the effort.

northern michigan was led by allison carroll with 12 points on 6-10 shooting. Carroll fouled out with 3:53 to play and committed four turnovers for the wildcats. Everyone for nmu scored and played at least eight minutes and carroll was the only wildcat in double-figures in a balanced effort.

concordia will seek their first win of the 2006-07 campaign tomorrow evening when they host minnesota duluth in the final game of the wildwood lodge tip-off classic at 5 p.m., immediately following the northern michigan vs. Msu moorhead game at 3 p.m.