WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SWEEPS NORTH IDAHO

Playing the same team twice in three days and winning both games is difficult. The Northwest College women's basketball team did just that, defeating North Idaho College 75-66 on Thursday and 77-73 on Saturday to complete a 3-0 season sweep.     

NORTHWEST 75, NORTH IDAHO 66
Matching up for the second of three times this season the Trappers (8-3) were hoping to continue their strong run against the Cardinals (5-7).

The first quarter saw both teams battling back and forth, with Northwest holding a slight advantage heading into the second quarter up 16-15.

North Idaho came out stronger in the second, building as much as an eight point lead through the quarter before Northwest battled back.

That lead shrank down to four when a late Brayli Reimer shot went in to make it 36-32 at half.

"Something just wasn't clicking that first half," coach Lauren Davis said. "It felt like we were working hard, we just weren't executing."

The Trappers were unable to carry any momentum early in the second half, continuing to trail by as many as eight and finishing the third quarter down 47-41.

Needing a spark in the fourth the Trapper bench stepped up to the plate, scoring 10 of the first 12 points and taking the lead on a Kelsi Nicholson jump shot.

"We found a group that wanted to execute those (halftime) adjustments and a lot of those players that wanted to execute those adjustments came off the bench," Davis said.

This time Northwest carried the momentum, extending the lead to 60-53 on an Anna Knight jump shot with 3:20 left.

The Trappers continued to hold the Cardinals at bay, not allowing the visitors closer than five while converting free throws, and behind a 34-point fourth quarter, the Trappers earned a 75-66 win.

"Thursday we just won single-handedly because of the fourth quarter," Davis said.

Both teams were even across mosts stats, but the Trapper bench finished with a 28-5 advantage and the Trappers shot 21-24 at the line compared to 15-23 by the Cardinals.

Carolina Ruiz led with 21 points just ahead of Roxanne Rogers with 20. Knight was the final Trapper in double figures with 10.

Brayli Reimer led with 10 rebounds, while Bianca Silva led with five steals.    

NORTHWEST 77, NORTH IDAHO 73
After the game on Thursday the Trappers and Cardinals got Friday off to prepare before the third matchup of the year, with Northwest looking for the season sweep.

A slow first quarter had neither team gaining a significant advantage, but Northwest held a 14-8 lead heading into the second.

Northwest used a strong second quarter, shooting better to gain a 29-14 lead with 3:25 left before the half.

The lead was as many as 16, but the Cardinals cut it to 33-21 heading into the locker room.

In the second half the Trappers appeared to be cruising, maintaining the double-digit lead before North Idaho cut it down to single digits heading into the fourth quarter.

An 11-3 run by the guests opened the fourth, tying the game at 61 with just under six minutes remaining.

North Idaho finally gained the lead for the first time on a 3-pointer to make it 66-65 with 3:01 left.

Silva had a response and took over late for Northwest, scoring nine points in a row at one point — allowing the Trappers to hold the Cardinals at bay.

She continued to push and ended by scoring 13 of her 17 points in the game over the final 3:36 to help Northwest earn the 77-73 win.

"It's really hard to beat a team three times so I'm really happy that we found a way to get it done," Davis said. "She (Silva) was single-handedly the energy of the team. I've been waiting for her to have a game like that."

Rogers led Northwest with 22 points, but Silva led with five steals and four assists on top of her season high 17 points.

The win was the fifth straight for the Trapper women, who committed 10 less turnovers (at 12) than the Cardinals and got the win despite shooting 6-24 from 3-point range.

"That is something we have been trying to work on (less turnovers)," Davis said. "I felt like our offense was firing on all cylinders (on Thursday) but we had 22 turnovers."    

HOME GAMES CONTINUE
Northwest will continue its homestand blitz before the winter break, welcoming in Lake Region State College (5-6) out of Devils Lake, North Dakota, at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

"Our defense has to be better," Davis said. "I know that Lake Region is capable. They have size over us — I think it'll be a tough team and a good matchup for us."

The Trappers will then take on an All-Star team made up of former college athletes at 2 p.m. on Saturday.    

NORTHWEST 75, NORTH IDAHO 66
Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()
Points — Carolina Ruiz 21, Roxanne Rogers 20, Anna Knight 10, Kelsi Nicholson 8, Kamalani Anitielu 6, Bianca Silva 6, Brayli Reimer 4
Rebounds — Brayli Reimer 10 (1), Roxanne Rogers 5 (1), Carolina Ruiz 5 (1), Jai'La Porter 4 (2), Kamalani Anitielu 3, Isabella Gurie 2, Kelsi Nicholson 2 (2), Bianca Silva 2
Assists — Carolina Ruiz 3, Roxanne Rogers 2, Kamalani Anitielu 2, Jai'La Porter 2, Bianca Silva 2, Tyne Killip 1, Brayli Reimer 1
Steals — Bianca Silva 5, Jai'La Porter 3, Roxanne Rogers 1, Kamalani Anitielu 1, Brayli Reimer 1, Kelsi Nicholson 1
Blocks — Roxanne Rogers 1, Kelsi Nicholson 1  

NORTHWEST 77, NORTH IDAHO 73
Points — Roxanne Rogers 22, Bianca Silva 17, Kamalani Anitielu 10, Kelsi Nicholson 10, Brayli Reimer 7, Isabella Gurie 4, Carolina Ruiz 3, Tayva Phillips 2, Anna Knight 2
Rebounds — Tayva Phillips 5 (1), Brayli Reimer 4, Kelsi Nicholson 4 (2), Roxanne Rogers 3 (1), Carolina Ruiz 2 (1), Tyne Killip 2, Anna Knight 2 (2), Bianca Silva 2 (1), Kamalani Anitielu 1, Isabella Gurie 1
Assists — Bianca Silva 4, Kamalani Anitielu 3, Carolina Ruiz 3, Roxanne Rogers 2, Tyne Killip 1, Brayli Reimer 1, Kelsi Nicholson 1
Steals — Bianca Silva 5, Tayva Phillips 2, Roxanne Rogers 2, Kelsi Nicholson 2, Kamalani Anitielu 1, Isabella Gurie 1