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Gruber’s clutch free throws ice NMU victory

NORTH CANTON, Ohio – Lauren Gruber scored 23 points, including 4 of 4 free throws in the game’s final 13 seconds, to help Northern Michigan University win its GLIAC opener 70-65 at Walsh University on Thursday.

The Wildcats (3-1 overall) trailed throughout the game’s first 15 minutes until they went on a 16-3 run late in the first half to take a 28-25 lead into halftime.

Northern’s Courtney Lemon sank a 3-pointer with 4:33 to go to tie the score 21-21, then her team took a lead it wouldn’t relinquish when Gruber added another triple 55 seconds later.

NMU wasn’t able to pull away from the Cavaliers, however, briefly building several leads of nine points but then having Walsh cut it back to just a two-point margin on four occasions in the second half, including at 66-64 with 13 seconds left when the Cavs’ Brooklyn Wooten made a layup.

With no more time taken off the clock, Gruber was fouled but sank a pair of free throws to build the lead back to 68-64.

Walsh’s Holly Gruber made one of two free throws with five seconds to go, but Gruber sank two more free throws at the same spot on the clock to seal the victory.

Gruber added six rebounds, three on the offensive end, and three assists while committing no turnovers.

Lemon had her second career double-double with 15 points, a game-high 10 rebounds and two blocked shots; while teammate Alyssa Colla added 12 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks; and Abbey DeBruin had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Wooten paced Walsh (5-1, 0-1) with 19 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while the Cavaliers’ Kelsey Funderburgh had 12 points.

NMU made 42.2 percent from the field (27 of 64) while holding Walsh to 34.9 percent (22 of 63). While Northern had a 42-37 rebounding edge and a 42-28 scoring advantage in the paint, both teams shot well from the free-throw line – NMU was 13 of 16 (81.2 percent) and Walsh 16 of 21 (76.2 percent).

The Wildcats continue their road trip with a game at Malone in Canton, Ohio, at 1 p.m. Saturday.

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

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