University of Northern Colorado Athletics
University of Northern Colorado
2-6,0-2Big Sky
University of Nebraska at Omaha
4-5,0-0Summit League
Bears boast stout defensive effort once again but unable to topple Mavericks
12/11/2021 3:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. – Neither side led by double-digits as Northern Colorado and Omaha reignited its old NCC rivalry. UNC couldn't knock down enough shots when it needed to, though, as the Mavericks walked away with the win, 48-41.
While the Bears' offense struggled to find some rhythm in Omaha, its defense was more than up to the task.
UNC held the Mavericks to just 33 percent from the floor in the opening half and forced an astounding 16 UNO turnovers.
Kurstyn Harden and Zoe Campbell both took turns guarding the low post and each added four points in the paint as well.
Fresh off her electric shooting in Montana, Allie Downing splashed in a three to keep Northern Colorado within reach.
In the final moments before halftime, head coach Kristen Mattio's crew clamped down to earn some crucial momentum.
Downing's three leapfrogged UNC into the lead. Moments later, earning her first minutes of the season, Brooklyn Evans stormed through the UNO defense, nailing a mid-range jumper just before the halftime buzzer to make it a three-point advantage at the break.
Mattio's defense never wavered in the second half.
In fact, the Mavericks shot an even lower percentage in the final 20 minutes, including an 0-6 effort from beyond the three-point arc.
Trailing by eight with five minutes to play, Alexis and Chapman and company put together a 5-0 run across a three-minute span to pull the Bears within one possession.
Chapman would finish with a team-high 10 points and five rebounds.
It wouldn't be enough in the end, however, as Omaha was steady from the free-throw line (17-20) to hold off UNC for the victory.
Stat of the Game
Northern Colorado outrebounded Omaha 42-29, making it the sixth time in eight games Mattio's squad has outrebounded its opponent.
What they Said
Head coach, Kristen Mattio
"Tonight felt like a defensive battle. In the second half, second-chance opportunities, turnovers and free throws hurt us. We've got to clean that up and keep focusing on the process of getting better. Moving forward this needs to be motivating for us to continue to improve. We've got to do a really good job of regrouping and get ready to play our best on Monday!"
Game Notes
- - Alexis Chapman reached double-figures for the second time this season and 47th in her career.
- - Chapman's five rebounds also matched a season-high for the senior.
- - Zoe Campbell added two more blocks to her team-leading total (11)
- - UNC held its opponent below 50 points for the second time this season. Forty-eight points were the fewest allowed since holding Eastern Washington to 42 in January of 2020.
- - Brooklyn Evans tallied her first points of the 2021-22 season.
What's Ahead
Northern Colorado returns to the friendly confines of Bank of Colorado Arena, facing Oklahoma Panhandle State on Monday, December 13 at 6 p.m. MT Tickets can be purchased at UNCBears.com/Tickets
To stay up to date on all things UNC Women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com, follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the new UNC Athletics app by clicking here.
