Northern Colorado Claims 62–55 Victory Behind Dominant Third Quarter

Thursday, February 12

Sacramento, Calif

7:30 p.m. MST | 6:30 p.m. PDT

University of Northern Colorado

18-8,9-4Big Sky

Sacramento State

11-14,5-7Big Sky

Northern Colo.

Sacramento St.

Sacramento State Athletics

2/12/2026 9:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Northern Colorado used a dominant third quarter to pull away and earn a 62–55 road victory over Sacramento State on Thursday night at Hornet Pavilion. Heather Baymon led the way offensively with a game-high 20 points off the bench, shooting 5-of-9 from three-point range and providing a consistent scoring throughout the second half.

After a tightly contested first half that saw the teams go into halftime tied at 32, the Bears came out of the break with renewed energy and control on both ends of the floor. Northern Colorado opened the third quarter with a quick scoring run and never looked back, outscoring the Hornets 22–12 in the period to seize momentum.

The Bears were efficient from deep in the quarter, knocking down all three of their three-point attempts, while also getting to the free throw line and converting seven of eight chances to build their largest lead of the night.

Tatum West recorded her sixth double-double of the season, finishing with 10 points and 12 rebounds to control the paint and the glass. West also added three steals and helped spark several defensive stops during the decisive third-quarter stretch.

Gabi Fields added eight points and four assists, while Julia Riley was efficient from the floor, scoring six points on 2-of-3 shooting and connecting on both of her three-point attempts. Neenah George chipped in seven points and three assists, and the Bears received valuable contributions across the lineup as eight different players found the scoring column.

Defensively, Northern Colorado forced 18 Sacramento State turnovers and turned those into 24 points, while also winning the rebounding battle 38–27. The Bears depth played a major role in the victory, as the bench accounted for 28 of the team's 62 points.

Despite a late push by the Hornets in the fourth quarter, Northern Colorado remained composed down the stretch, converting key free throws and defensive rebounds to close out the road win.

UP NEXT: Northern Colorado continues its road swing on Saturday, February 14, traveling to Portland to face Portland State. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. MT.

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