Northern Michigan University’s Mackenzie Holzwart goes up for a shot during a game played against Northwood at the PEIF Gym in Marquette on Dec. 19. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — Ferris State had the perfect solution to the fouling committed by Northern Michigan University in an attempt to get back into their women’s basketball game on Saturday afternoon at the Berry Events Center — make each and every free throw.

Ferris made its last 16 attempts, all in the game’s final two minutes, as the nationally ranked No. 11 Bulldogs carted off a 79-67 victory.

It was part of a 34-point quarter by the Bulldogs as they led just 45-43 entering the final 10-minute period.

That spoiled an 18-point game by the Wildcats’ Sarah Newcomer that included a pair of 3-pointers and four rebounds.

Teammates Makaylee Kuhn, who set the program’s career scoring record two days earlier against Lake Superior State, and Jacy Weisbrod added 14 points apiece as Kuhn had three assists and Weisbrod five rebounds.

Mackenzie Holzwart was a fourth Wildcat to score in double figures with 11 points as she had eight rebounds and three assists. And teammate Ana Rhude led all rebounders with 11 as she scored six points.

Ferris’ Mya Hiram led all scorers with 22 points, while teammate Kenzie Bowers made 10 of 10 free throws to score 17 points.

Both teams shot free throws well, Ferris making 26 of 28 (93%) and NMU 15 of 18 (83%). Northern’s 42-29 advantage in rebounds was offset by the Bulldogs’ 12-2 edge in steals.

The Wildcats (10-5 overall) fell to fourth place in the GLIAC at 4-2 as Ferris at 4-1 remained within a game of league leader and national No. 1 Grand Valley State at 5-0.

After the teams traded the lead several times in the first quarter, Ferris emerged with a 17-13 lead entering the second. Holzwart and Newcomer each hit a basket in the first three minutes of the second to tie it 17-17 before the Bulldogs put together a 12-1 streak to take a 29-18 lead with 2:11 left in the first half, which became 33-22 at intermission.

Ferris still had a double-digit lead about 4 1/2 minutes into the third before the Wildcats reeled off a big 11-2 run to end the quarter and pull within 45-43 entering the fourth. In that run, Kuhn hit a jumper and made two free throws, while Weisbrod sank a 3-pointer and Rhude and Newcomer each made a pair of free throws.

Though NMU was unable to take the lead down the stretch, the Wildcats did tie it twice in the first two minutes of the fourth, 45-45 and 47-47 following layups by Rhude and Holzwart, respectively.

But the visitors were able to once again build a double-digit lead, including 63-52 with 3:09 left on a Chloe Idoni short jumper.

That forced the Wildcats’ hand at fouling, which the Bulldogs’ sharpshooters thwarted.

Northern hits the road for a pair of conference games this week, traveling to Hammond, Indiana, to take on Purdue Northwest (2-3 GLIAC) at 6:30 p.m. EST Thursday and to Kenosha, Wisconsin, to face Wisconsin-Parkside (4-1) at 2 p.m. EST Saturday.

NMU’s next home game at the Berry Events Center will be against Upper Peninsula rival Michigan Tech at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.