MARQUETTE, Mich. â€Â“ The Northern Michigan University womenâ€Â™s basketball team won their fifth game in the past six on Thursdaynight with a 75-66 win over Ferris State University at the Berry Events Center. Ã‚  The â€Â˜Cats improve to 15-10 overall and 8-9 in the GLIAC.  The Bulldogsfall to 11-15 and 9-8 respectively. 

NMU held the lead in the first half for almost the first 13minutes of the game.  After Emily Belland made a basket with 10:41 left in thehalf the â€Â˜Cats held an eight-point lead at 17-9.  The Bulldogs answered with an11-2 run to take the lead at 20-19 with almost seven minutes left.  Maria Kaszahit a three-pointer to tie the game at 25-all with 4:19 left in the half.  Butthe Bulldogs held a 35-31 lead after the first 20 minutes of play.

Tiffany Grubaugh hit a three-pointer with 16:51 left in thegame to give the â€Â˜Cats the 38-37 lead.  The â€Â˜Cats would hold the lead for about10 minutes and had an eight-point lead at 12:17 on a made bucket by Holly Cole. With the score tied at 63, Kasza again hit for a three-pointer to give theâ€Â˜Cats the lead for good at 66-63 with about four minutes left in the game.  TheBulldogs only made one three-pointer the rest of the game. 

Grubaugh was the gameâ€Â™s high scorer with 24 points.  She alsohad five rebounds, eight assists and three steals.  Kasza ended the night with20 points and seven rebounds.  Belland was the third â€Â˜Cat in double-figureswith 10 points as she added six rebounds in the win. 

The â€Â˜Cats were 28-64 from the floor for 43.8 percent whichincluded 8-21 from the three-point line (38.1 percent).  NMU made 20 trips tothe free throw line and made 11 of the throws for 55 percent.  The Bulldogs wonthe battle on the glass with a 44-39 advantage. 

NMU will face Grand Valley State on Saturday (Feb. 26) inthe regular season finale at the Berry Events Center.