Northern Michigan University’s Sarah Newcomer, right, drives to the basket while defended by Minnesota-Duluth's Vanessa Bickford during their game played at Vandament Arena in Marquette on Nov. 21. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The women’s basketball team at Northern Michigan University built a big lead against Roosevelt on Saturday in their game played in Chicago in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

And they needed every bit of that lead to hang on for an 83-82 victory over the Lakers to improve to 10-1 overall, 2-0 in the conference.

The Wildcats had a pair of 16-point leads early in the fourth quarter, the final one 68-52 after NMU’s Alyssa Hill made a layup with 8:14 remaining.

Then Northern’s offense got up and left for the bus before the game was over, probably thinking the outcome was a foregone conclusion.

Instead, Roosevelt (1-5, 0-2 GLIAC) went on a 22-2 run to not only erase its double-digit deficit, but take a 74-70 lead following Kelly Boyle’s 3-pointer with 3:53 left.

Fortunately for the Wildcats, there was enough time left to call back the offense from the bus and mount a comeback of their own.

Sarah Newcomer, who scored NMU’s only points in the Lakers’ extended run with a pair of free throws, hit a jumper and Hill another layup to tie it 74-74 with 2:24 to go.

After Roosevelt briefly took a one-score lead, Northern top scorer Jacy Weisbrod made three straight free throws with 1:45 remaining after being fouled on a triple attempt to put the visitors back ahead 77-76.

Newcomer hit a trey 52 seconds later for an 80-76 advantage, and the Wildcats were able to hold off Roosevelt the rest of the way.

That was despite the Lakers’ Isabella Pitta hitting a triple at the buzzer to create the final one-point margin.

Newcomer led Northern scorers with 21 points as she hit a pair of 3s, 3 of 3 free throws and grabbed five rebounds. Weisbrod put in 17 points, also making two triples, 3 of 3 free throws and nabbing five caroms.

Hill, a Negaunee High School graduate, added 12 points as she posted team highs of six rebounds and four assists while not committing a turnover in 24 minutes court time.

Baraga product Reide Osterman didn’t score, but did grab three rebounds and made an assist in 17 minutes.

Pitta led all scorers with 24 points as she also posted a game-high 10 rebounds.

NMU led throughout the first half, building its lead into double digits for the first time at 37-26 with 2:20 left in the first half after a pair of Madison Schroeder free throws.

The Wildcats led 41-31 at halftime and expanded the advantage to 15 points, 62-47, with 32 seconds left in the third after a Faith Walder layup.

They hit their game high of 16 points twice early in the fourth period before Roosevelt mounted its big comeback.

Northern, ranked No. 17 last week in national polls, hosts nonconference Northwood at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, as its only game left before the Christmas holidays.

However, the Wildcats get back on their Vandament Arena court on New Year’s Day afternoon, 5:30 p.m., to resume the conference campaign against Davenport.

NMU 83, Roosevelt 82

Saturday at Chicago

Summary (field goals, free throws, total points)

NORTHERN MICHIGAN — Newcomer 8-3-21, Weisbrod 6-3-17, Hill 6-0-12, Pytleski 2-3-8, Romero 1-3-6, Walder 3-0-6, Schroeder 2-2-6, Schmittdiel 1-2-4, Whitehouse 1-1-3. Totals 30-17-83.

ROOSEVELT — Pitta 8-6-24, Boyle 6-0-17, Outlay 3-4-10, Leonard 4-1-10, Katcher 1-3-5, Lindo 4-0-11, Bradbury 1-1-3, Brandenburg 1-0-2. Totals 28-15-82.

Score by quarters:

Northern Michigan 15 26 21 21 — 83

Roosevelt 12 19 19 32 — 82

FG shooting: NMU 30 of 60 (50 percent), Roosevelt 28 of 70 (40 percent); 3-point shooting: NMU 6 of 18 (33.3 percent), Roosevelt 11 of 30 (36.7 percent); FT shooting: NMU 17 of 19 (89.5 percent), Roosevelt 15 of 19 (78.9 percent); Rebounding, NMU 36 (Alyssa Hill 6), Roosevelt 32 (Isabella Pitta 10); Assists, NMU 15 (Hill 4), Roosevelt 16 (Kelly Boyle 5); Steals, NMU 5 (Faith Walder 2), Roosevelt 6 (Isabel Lindo 3); Turnovers, NMU 11, Roosevelt 9.

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