MARQUETTE, Mich. â€Ã‚“ Leading by four points at the half the NorthernMichigan University Wildcats defeated Lewis University on Monday night at theBerry Events Center by a score of 88-79. Ã‚ With the win the â€Ã‚˜Cats won their third game in a row and now stand at8-1 on the season.  The Flyers fall to6-5.

The Flyers had the lead twice inthe second half as they held a one point margin for their final lead of thegame with a three-pointer at 13:34left to go up 53-52.  With the score tiedat 55-all the â€Ã‚˜Cats went on a 12 to four run which was capped off by EmilySamuelsonâ€Ã‚™s three-pointer with less than nine minutes left in the game.

With a little under three minutesleft in the game, Andrea Brooke converted a lay-up to give the â€Ã‚˜Cats their biggestlead of the second half at 81-69.  Lewishad the lead down to eight points as the clock had a couple of ticks over aminute left in the game, but they could not get any closer before the finalhorn.

Tiffany Grubaugh led the way forthe â€Ã‚˜Cats on the night with 27 points and five rebounds.  Michelle Moard had career numbers with 19points and five rebounds.  EmilySamuelson had 16 points, six rebounds and nine assists on the stat sheet.

As a team the â€Ã‚˜Cats shot 49.2percent from the floor (29-59), 41.7 percent from three-point land (10-24) and76.9 percent from the line (20-26).  NMUout-rebounded the Flyers by a 38 to 34 margin.

NMU will be back in action onSaturday afternoon (January 3) at 1:00 p.m.against Northland College.

   Ã‚