Balanced Scoring Efforts Powers Bears Past Vikings at Home

Thursday, January 15

Greeley, Colo.

6 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

13-5,4-1Big Sky

Portland State

5-11,1-3Big Sky

Portland St.

Northern Colo.

Ally McCutchen | UNC Athletics

1/15/2026 8:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. — Northern Colorado women's basketball returned to Bank of Colorado Arena for the first of three games in five days of conference play and delivered a strong performance, defeating the Vikings 80–60 to extend its winning streak to four games.

The victory marked the Bears best start to conference play since the 2016–17 season, as UNC improved to 4–1 through the first five conference games.

The Bears set the tone early with high-intensity defense in the opening quarter. Their pressure created transition opportunities and open looks at the rim, allowing UNC to jump out to a commanding 23–7 lead after the first 10 minutes of action.

Northern Colorado continued to build momentum in the second quarter behind sharp shooting and relentless rebounding. Heather Baymon knocked down shots from beyond the arc and led the Bears with 15 points in the first half. UNC attacked the glass aggressively, earning multiple second-chance opportunities, while forcing turnovers that turned into fast-break points to further extend the lead heading into halftime.

Defensive pressure remained a key factor to start the second half, as the Bears forced several steals in the third quarter. Crisp ball movement led to open looks on offense, while Tatum West provided a spark on both ends of the floor, scoring 11 points and pulling down nine rebounds through three frames. By the end of the third quarter, UNC built a 65–45 advantage.

In the fourth quarter, the Bears stayed in control by attacking the basket and earning trips to the free-throw line. Northern Colorado managed the clock effectively in the final minutes to secure its fourth straight conference victory.

Baymon capped off another standout performance with 23 points, three rebounds, and five steals, while West recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Neenah George added 15 points and rounding out the scoring was Julia Riley with 10 points on the night.

UP NEXT: The Bears will shift their attention to Saturday's match up when they host Sacramento State. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT.

FOLLOW THE BEARS
Fans can stay up to date with Northern Colorado women's basketball by visiting uncbears.com and following the team on social media: X (formerly Twitter) @UNC_BearsWBB, Instagram @UNC_BearsWBB, and Facebook /UNCBearsWBB.