Alva Review-Courier -

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The third-ranked Harding women's basketball team fell 83-78 Friday to Northern State in non-conference action to open the season at Municipal Auditorium.

RECORDS

Harding falls to 0-1 on the season and Northern State improves to 1-0.

FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

Harding kept the first quarter close until Northern State went on a 6-0 run to lead 12-6. The wolves extended their lead to 17-8 at the end of the quarter. Caroline Hogue went 3-for-6 from the field and grabbed three rebounds for the Lady Bisons.

SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

Northern State pushed its lead to 14, 22-8, with 8:56 left in the half. Harding cut the lead to eight, 25-17, after a Caroline Hogue 3-pointer. The Wolves answered back with a 3-pointer and went on to lead by 12, 34-22, with 44 seconds left. A 3-pointer by Harding's Amanda Kearney cut the lead to 34-25 at the half. The Lady Bisons made four 3-pointers in the quarter.

THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

Northern State held on to its lead until midway through the third quarter. Trailing 48-28 with 4:23 left in the quarter, Harding went on a 6-2 run on two 3-pointers to cut the lead to 50-44. The Lady Bisons continued to battle and then cut the lead to three on a 3-pointer by Kennedy Cooper. Northern State went on to lead 61-54 at the end of the third. Kennedy Cooper had 14 points for the Lady Bisons in the quarter. She went 5-for-5 from the field and 3-of-3 from behind the 3-point line.

FOURTH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

Harding continued to keep the game close and then cut the lead to one, 61-60, on a 3-pointer by Sydney Layrock. Northern State kept answering the Lady Bisons' comeback and led by seven with 2:24 left in the game. A jumper by Falan Miller with 1:29 left pulled Harding to within three, 75-72. Northern State made 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch to seal the 83-78 win. Sydney Layrock and Kennedy Cooper each had six points in the quarter.

TEAM/INDIVIDUAL STATS

Harding shot 49.2 percent in the game, making 29-of-59 shots. The Lady Bisons went 13-of-28 from behind the 3-point line and 7-of-13 from the free throw line.

Kennedy Cooper made her Harding debut in the game and had 23 points, making five 3-pointers.

Caroline Hogue finished with 16 points, four rebounds and three blocks.

Jessi Marti led Northern State with 20 points, making 6-of-13 from the field. Miranda Ristau added 19 points and Brianna Kusler had 16 points.

Northern State shot 41.9 percent from the field (26-of-62). The Wolves made six 3-pointers and made 25-of-29 free throws.

NEXT GAME

Harding will play another game in Kansas City Saturday when it takes on Concorida-St. Paul at 4:30 p.m.