Scott Fills Up the Stat Sheet in @UNCBearsWBB 79-55 Win

Saturday, January 23

Greeley, Colo.

2:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

9-9, 4-4BSC

Northern Arizona

5-13, 1-6BSC

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Northern Arizona	9	15	15	16	55
Northern Colorado	17	24	20	18	79

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

1/23/2016 6:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Savannah Scott just misses out on triple-double in UNC women's basketball win

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado women's basketball put the pedal to the metal early on Saturday afternoon and never looked back in a 79-55 victory over Northern Arizona.

"I was really pleased with the growth and direction this team is going. Anytime we can put up close to 80 points, it's a sign that we are getting better in our play and using our personal well," head coach Kamie Ethridge said. "I have been feeling good about the direction of this team and they continue to show it."

The Bears' Swiss-army knife in Savannah Scott once again affected all parts of the game with a near triple-double dishing out 10 assists, scoring eight points, grabbing eight rebounds and nabbing four steals.

The 10 assists tie for the third most in the school's Division I history. The last Bear to reach the feat was Lindsay Mallon in 2014.

"Everyone was hitting shots so I thought, just keep feeding them and keep moving the ball to get my teammates open shots," Scott said.

Scott helped the Bears get out to a quick start with an assist on the first three baskets for UNC as they built an 8-2 lead midway through the first quarter.

"Savannah Scott plays bigger than her size and makes all those hustle plays for us. The exciting thing about her is she has come so far from our spring meeting when I was hard on her and told her she had to change a lot of her game," said Ethridge. "I give her credit taking it to heart and working on her game all summer and continuing to this year. She prides herself in making all of those hustle plays and doesn't have to always score."

While Scott got things started for the Bears, Savannah Smith helped Northern Colorado build a comfortable lead in the second quarter, scoring the first 11 points for the Bears, expanding the team's lead to 14.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, Smith had followed up her career-high 20 point effort on Thursday with 18 more points to go with four rebounds and three assists.

After one half of play, UNC led 41-24.

While the Savannahs took care of business in the first half for Northern Colorado, it was Kourtney Zadina who led the team in the second half. She scored 12 of her 18 points in the second act, breaking out of her two game slump.

"It felt better shooting this game for me, but also as a team too," Zadina said. "I didn't feel like I was rushing my shot any and just as a team we were playing really well together."

Kyleigh Hiser was the third and final Bear to finish with double figure points, scoring 14 on 5-of-10 shooting including hitting three 3-pointers.

A late Courtney Smith basket in the third quarter put UNC up 61-39 at the end of the third quarter, and saw them get up by as much as 26 in the fourth as they closed out their fourth straight home win.

"I think it has just all been reps in practice and in games leading to my play," said Courtney Smith. "Plus the great support of my teammates telling me it's okay if I make a mistake and helping me grow."

Hiser, C. Smith and S. Smith combined for 41 of the team's 43 bench points in the game.

Smith continued her come out party with another solid performance scoring nine points and grabbing a career-high seven rebounds.

The Bears will hit the road next week heading to North Dakota on Saturday with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. mountain time. UNC will look to end its road woes, as the team has dropped their last seven away from Bank of Colorado Arena.

"We need to come in the way we do at home with that fire and not flat like we have been," Scott said. "Coming out strong in the beginning and play that way all 40 minutes."