MARQUETTE, Mich.â€Â“ Emily Samuelson started the New Year off in a very positive way as shehad a game-high 25 points, nine rebounds, four assists and five steals inleading the Wildcats to a 73-62 win over Northland College on Saturday afternoon. Ã‚  The game was NMUâ€Â™s final non-conference gamebefore jumping back into CCHA play this week. With the win the â€Â˜Cats are now 9-1 on the season and have won their pastfour games in a row.  The Lumberjills arenow 1-8 on the season with the loss.

Northland kept the game close inthe first half as they actually scored the first basket of the game to take theearly 2-0 lead.  The Lumberjills had thelead three times in the first 20 minutes of play with the last lead being,28-27, with 7:37 left in the half.  Tiffany Grubaugh made a jumper with 1:25 left in the first half to give the â€Â˜Catstheir biggest lead at 44-33. 

Northland had the game within fivepoints at 61-56 with a little over seven minutes left in the game.  The â€Â˜Cats answered with a 12 to five run to make the score 73-61 withunder two minutes left in the game.

Grubaugh was the only other â€Â˜Cat toscore in double-digits as she had 18 points and three assists. 

For the game NMU was 22-53 from thefloor (41.5 percent), 6-17 in three-pointers (35.3 percent) and 23-26 from thefree throw line (88.5 percent).  Northland College won the boards as they had35 rebounds to NMUâ€Â™s 33.

NMU will jump back into GLIAC playwith games on Tuesday and Thursday this week. On Tuesday (January 6) the â€Â˜Catsface Wayne Statebefore playing Hillsdale on Thursday (January 8).  Both games will be played at the Berry EventsCenter.

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