After getting fouled, Northern Michigan University’s Sydney Whitehouse, right, high-fives teammate Jacy Weisbrod during a GLIAC game played against Ferris State at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Feb. 15. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

ERIE, Pa. — The women’s basketball team at Northern Michigan University opened its season with a pair of wins at the Conference Commissioners Association Tip-Off Classic in neighboring cities in northwestern Pennsylvania.

The Wildcats opened with a 66-57 win over California University of Pennsylvania, then pulled off a 60-58 upset of nationally ranked No. 5 Gannon.

NMU had a third game at the event on Sunday, against Edinboro, before having another road trip to Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, this weekend, facing Upper Iowa at 6 p.m. EST Friday and Lewis at 6 p.m. EST Saturday.

Here are details from the first two CCA Tip-Off Classic games:

NMU 66, California (Pa.) 57

On Friday afternoon in Edinboro, Pa., this back-and-forth battle saw both teams with double-digits leads at times. The Wildcats got the last of those laughs, however, going on an 11-0 run to turn a one-point lead into a 62-50 advantage with 2:11 left.

Top returnees Jacy Weisbrod and Sydney Whitehouse led NMU scorers with 18 points apiece, as the team’s next highest scorer was Sarah Newcomer with nine.

Weisbrod made four 3-pointers while grabbing eight rebounds and making three steals. Whitehouse was 8 of 13 from the field, all on 2-pointers, as she grabbed four rebounds.

Negaunee graduate Alyssa Hill led all rebounders with 12 as the Wildcats held a huge 40-21 advantage on the boards.

Another returnee, CJ Romero, dished out five assists.

The Vulcans’ Alicia Young led all scorers with 20 points, though she committed four turnovers.

After CUP went up 3-2 in the first two minutes, NMU rattled off eight straight points, culminated by a Newcomer 3-pointer, to take a 10-3 lead with 4:36 left in the first quarter.

The Vulcans quickly rebounded, tying it 10-10 by the end of the period.

CUP went on another run, 12-0, to build a 25-13 lead with 4:20 left in the second and still led 30-22 at halftime.

The Wildcats got to work to start the second half, chipping away until they tied it 36-36 with 4:15 to go in the third on a Faith Walder layup.

Weisbrod hit a triple less than 30 seconds later as Northern took the lead for good, including 44-41 at the end of the quarter.

However, CUP cut its deficit to one point twice early in the fourth, the final time at 51-50 with 5:38 left on a Nina Shaw layup.

But that’s when the Wildcats went on their final 11-0 streak to all but put the game out of reach.

NMU 60, Gannon 58

On Saturday evening at Erie, Pa., the Wildcats took the lead early against this former member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Gannon took the lead briefly in the second quarter, then made a big run late to get as close as one point.

Weisbrod led a balanced Northern scoring attack, the only double-figures scorer with 16 points as she hit a pair of 3s and 4 of 5 free throws. Newcomer added nine points and Hill and Walder eight apiece as every player who saw the court scored.

NMU again won the rebounding battle, 39-32, though no Wildcat had more than five, the total posted by Hill and Madison Schroeder. But Weisbrod and Newcomer each had four as every player had at least two caroms.

Bri Claxon led the Golden Knights with 14 points, though she fouled out.

Northern never trailed in the opening quarter, while Gannon tied it three times in the early going. NMU extended its lead to 18-11 with 2:45 left on a pair of free throws by Addison Pytleski, settling for a 20-16 edge at the end of the period.

After Claxon gave the Knights a brief lead, 23-22 with 7:18 left in the second, the Wildcats got up 31-26 with 4:14 left before halftime on a Newcomer trey.

Leading 35-33 at halftime, Northern rebuilt its lead throughout the third quarter, getting it to as much as 50-39 with 16 seconds to go in the period on a pair of Walder free throws.

NMU’s biggest lead was 56-44 with 8:34 left in the fourth after a Romero triple, but that’s when Gannon started chipping away to make it a game again.

The Knights pulled within 59-58 with 1:03 left following a Claxon jumper, but Pytelski made a free throw with three seconds remaining for the final margin.

NMU 66, California (Pa.) 57

Friday at Edinboro, Pa.

Summary (field goals, free throws, total points)

CALIFORNIA (PA.) — Young 9-0-20, Bankett 4-0-10, Williams 3-3-9, Balog 3-0-9, Shaw 2-0-5, Sardone 1-0-2, Hull 0-2-2. Totals 22-5-57.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Weisbrod 6-2-18, Newcomer 3-0-9, Hill 4-0-8, Romero 2-0-5, Pytleski 1-2-4, Whitehouse 8-2-18, Walder 1-0-2, Schroeder 1-0-2. Totals 26-6-66.

Score by quarters:

California (Pa.) 10 20 11 16 — 57

Northern Michigan 10 12 22 22 — 66

FG shooting: California (Pa.) 22 of 52 (42.3 percent), NMU 26 of 60 (43.3 percent); 3-point shooting: California (Pa.) 8 of 15 (53.3 percent), NMU 8 of 21 (38.1 percent); FT shooting: California (Pa.) 5 of 8 (62.5 percent), NMU 6 of 8 (75 percent); Rebounding, California (Pa.) 21 (Kimaya Williams 5), NMU 40 (Alyssa Hill 12); Assists, California (Pa.) 9 (Nina Shaw 6), NMU 11 (CJ Romero 5); Steals, California (Pa.) 9 (Williams 3), NMU Jacy Weisbrod 3); Turnovers, California (Pa.) 17, NMU 17.

NMU 60, Gannon 58

Saturday at Erie, Pa.

Summary (field goals, free throws, total points)

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Weisbrod 5-4-16, Newcomer 3-0-9, Hill 3-2-8, Romero 2-0-6, Pytleski 0-3-3, Walder 3-2-8, Schroeder 2-1-5, Osterman 0-2-2, Schmittdiel 1-0-2, Whitehouse 0-1-1. Totals 19-15-60.

GANNON — Claxon 6-1-14, Popyk 4-2-12, Ratliff 3-1-10, Wheatley 1-2-5, Cernuto 1-7-9, Slater 2-0-4, Pepple 1-0-2, Deere 1-0-2. Totals 19-13-58.

Score by quarters:

Northern Michigan 20 15 15 10 — 60

Gannon 16 17 10 15 — 58

FG shooting: NMU 19 of 48 (39.6 percent), Gannon 19 of 57 (33.3 percent); 3-point shooting: NMU 7 of 13 (53.8 percent), Gannon 7 of 28 (25 percent); FT shooting: NMU 15 of 20 (75 percent), Gannon 13 of 18 (72.2 percent); Rebounding, NMU 39 (Alyssa Hill and Madison Schroeder 5 each), Gannon 32 (Jordan Popyk 8); Assists, NMU 6 (Sarah Newcomer 3), Gannon 14 (Kate Ratliff 5); Steals, NMU 2 (Faith Walder and Sydney Whitehouse 1 each), Gannon 8 (Bri Claxon and Olivia Peeple 2 each); Turnovers, NMU 14, Gannon 5.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.