MARQUETTE, Mich. â€Â“ The Northern Michigan University womenâ€Â™sbasketball team raced out to a 18-4 lead in the first half as the â€Â˜Catsdefeated the Wayne State University Warriors by a score of 90-71 on Tuesdaynight.  With the win the â€Â˜Cats are now10-1 on the season and 2-1 in the GLIAC. The Warriors fall to 3-8 and 0-4 in the conference.  NMU was playing a little shorthanded as theâ€Â˜Cats only dressed seven players for the game.

NMU held a nine point lead at half(42-31), but the Warriors clawed back to make it a game in the secondhalf.  WSUâ€Â™s Jodi Young made athree-point play to give the Warriors the lead at 55-53 with a little under 13 minutesleft in the game.  The â€Â˜Cats answeredwith a 17 to five run to take a 10 point lead with a little over seven minutesleft in the game to make the score 70-60. Emily Belland made a basket with less than five minutes left to give theâ€Â˜Cats a 19 point lead at 83-64.

Former Warrior, Tiffany Grubaughled the â€Â˜Cats with 22 points and seven rebounds.  Michelle Moard was impressive with herdouble-double on the night with 15 points and 16 rebounds.  Twelve of her rebounds came on the defensiveend of the court.  Andrea Brooke added 17points in the win.  Emily Samuelson added13 points and six assists.

For the game the â€Â˜Cats were 32-68from the floor (47.1 percent), 7-20 in threeâ€Â™s (35 percent) and 19-25 from thefree throw line (76 percent).  The â€Â˜Catshad 51 rebounds for the game as WSU had 39. 

NMU is back in action at the Berry Events Centeron Thursday, January 8 against Hillsdale with action to begin at 5:30 p.m.