Balanced Attack Propel Bears Past Vikings, 68-50

Saturday, February 15

Greeley, Colo.

2 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

12-13,5-9Big Sky

Portland State

4-18,1-12Big Sky

Portland St.

Northern Colo.

Photo by: Sophia Valencia, UNC Athletics

2/15/2025 5:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Final Game Book (PDF)Coach Mattio, Gamble, & Rummery-Lamb

Bears clamp down defensively and ride Gamble’s 21-point performance to a key Big Sky victory at home

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado put together a balanced offensive attack and stifling defense to cruise past Portland State, 68-50, on Saturday afternoon at Bank of Colorado Arena. The Bears (12-13, 5-9 Big Sky) locked in on both ends of the floor, holding the Vikings (4-18, 1-12 Big Sky) to just 50 points while posting their second-highest scoring output in conference play.

TOP PERFORMERS
London Gamble paced the Bears with a game-high 21 points on an efficient 9-of-15 shooting, including three from deep. Ella Van Weelden provided a crucial spark off the bench, adding 12 points on 3-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc while chipping in five rebounds. April Rummery-Lamb was a force inside with 11 points, three boards, and two blocks, while Aniah Hall rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and three rebounds. Gabi Fields controlled the tempo, dishing out four assists to go along with her four points.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Portland State got out to a quick start, leading 7-4 in the first three minutes behind a Cici Ellington triple and a pair of early buckets from Rhema Ogele. The Bears, however, found their rhythm shortly after, using a Gamble jumper and a Rummery-Lamb layup to pull within one, 9-8, by the 3:30 mark. A deep three from Van Weelden moments later gave UNC its first lead since the opening basket, 13-11, and set the tone for the rest of the game. By the end of the quarter, the Bears held a 15-11 advantage.

Northern Colorado carried that momentum into the second period, opening with a 5-2 spurt to stretch its lead to 20-13 following a Julia Riley three. Portland State answered with a short 6-0 run, but back-to-back buckets from Gamble and another Riley three pushed UNC ahead 32-26 at the half.

The Bears made their move in the third quarter, locking down defensively while capitalizing on their opportunities in transition. Gamble's hot hand led the way, as she knocked down a jumper to make it 40-29 at the 5:30 mark. Hall added to the run with a pair of free throws and a Fields-assisted triple from Gamble pushed the lead to 50-37 heading into the final frame.

UNC sealed the deal in the fourth, with Gamble continuing to lead the charge as she buried another three to extend the margin to 20, and Fields orchestrated the offense with crisp ball movement. A layup from Claire Fraser in the closing minutes put the finishing touches on a dominant performance.

KEY STATS

Gamble Gets Buckets: London Gamble led all scorers for the second game in a row with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
Bench Production: UNC's reserves outscored PSU's bench 31-6.
Three-Point Shooting: The Bears connected on 8-of-23 (35%) from deep.
Defensive Effort: Northern Colorado forced 15 turnovers and turned them into 19 points.
Winning the Glass: UNC won the rebounding battle, 36-31.

UP NEXT
The Bears will play in their final road games of the 2024-25 regular season, traveling to Cheney, Wash. and Moscow, Idaho to take on the Eastern Washington Eagles and the Idaho Vandals.

Follow the Bears
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsWBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsWBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsWBB).

Big Sky Conference Championship Tickets
Tickets for the 2025 Big Sky Basketball Championships, presented by Idaho Central Credit Union, are on sale now.

The men's and women's basketball tournaments will be hosted at Idaho Central Arena on March 8-12, marking the seventh straight year that Starch Madness will be held in Boise, Idaho.

Fans can purchase all-tournament, all-session ticket packages for both the men's and women's sessions for courtside, reserved, and general admission seating.

Single-session tickets will be available for purchase Monday, Feb. 3. To purchase tickets, visit uncbears.com/tickets or call 970-351-4849.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Campus Commons Ticket Office, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. TicketSmarter is the official resale marketplace of UNC athletics.

To purchase tickets, visit uncbears.com/tickets or call 970-351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased at the Campus Commons Ticket Office, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. TicketSmarter is the official resale marketplace of UNC athletics.

About TicketSmarter.com
TicketSmarter® is a ticket resale marketplace and is not affiliated with Ticketmaster® or Live Nation®. TicketSmarter® is an online ticket marketplace and a proud member of the Digital Ally Companies (NASDAQ: DGLY). TicketSmarter® offers tickets to more than 125,000 live events ranging from concerts to sports and theatre shows.

TicketSmarter® is a primary and secondary ticketing solution for events and high-profile venues across North America including more than 300 professional sports teams and collegiate athletic departments. TicketSmarter® is also dedicated to giving back through contributions to charitable organizations.

100% Ticket Guarantee
All purchases are backed with a TicketSmarter® ticket guarantee. Have peace of mind knowing when you make your purchase for any sporting event, concert or theatre show that your tickets will be valid. You will receive a 100% refund if the event is canceled and not rescheduled. You will also receive a 100% refund if your order was accepted but the tickets were not delivered by the seller or shipped in time for the event. TicketSmarter® also provides a worry-free guarantee that your tickets will be valid upon entry. If they are not valid, we will provide you with a refund.