duluth, minn. - the 23rd-ranked concordia university women's basketball team earned a weekend sweep on the road, knocking off the university of minnesota duluth 83-72 at romano gymasium on saturday night. The golden bears move to 12-3 in the league (18-4 overall), combined with an augustana loss to wayne state, putting them a game and a half ahead of both teams who are currently tied at 10-4. Msu moorhead, in fourth, also lost, falling to 10-5 and two games behind concordia. Umd, meanwhile, falls to 9-6 and a fifth place tie in the standings, 14-8 overall after concordia sweeps the season series. In the ncaa central region watch, top-ranked fort lewis won both of their games on the road this weekend to maintain their two game lead over concordia, improving to 22-2 overall. box score
five golden bears scored in double-figures led by junior maurika hickman (minneapolis, minn.) with 18 on 6-9 shooting.
minnesota duluth only led by two point margins in the first few minutes and there were only two ties in the game as concordia led throughout.
the golden bears led by as many as 17 points, 69-52, with under six minutes to play as they completed the season sweep of umd and improve to 12-0 when scoring 80-plus points.
they converted 50.9% (28-55) from the floor while holding umd to 42.9% (30-70) shooting in their own gym. The golden bears also were more aggressive, getting to the foul line 31 times to umd's 14 attempts. Both teams shot around the 71% range at the line.
seniors jamie jones (mounds view, minn.) and gillian bjerke (detroit lakes, minn.) added 15 points each while junior jineen williams (racine, wis.) and senior ashley viehauser (minneapolis, minn.) each contributed 10.
concordia's leader on the glass was the 5-7 leaper off the bench, junior zoraa quoie (woodbury, minn.) with seven. She added six points (all on free throws) and her athleticism earned her six steals in another impressive all-around reserve effort by the league's top sub.
the golden bears needed a pair of road wins and came through with double-digit victories up north. They return home for three games, two next weekend against defending nsic and ncaa national champion minnesota state on friday and southwest minnesota state on saturday. The mavericks and mustangs are locked in a three way tie for seventh in the standings with 8-7 records along with northern state. Concordia's third opponent of the home stretch is msu moorhead on feb. 20, in fourth at 10-5 in the standings.
