MARQUETTE – For the first half on Monday, Northern Michigan University’s women’s basketball team held who head coach Troy Mattson calls “the best (NCAA Division II) player in the country” in check.

The Wildcats limited Wayne State University senior center Shareta Brown – averaging 21.2 points a game – to just six points, four of them on free throws.

But the second half was another story.

The GLIAC’s leading scorer exploded for 21 points, powering the Warriors to a 69-57 victory at the Berry Events Center in Marquette.

“She does what she wants to,” Mattson said. “She’s unstoppable when she plays hard. She decided she was going to play hard the second half.

“You have to keep her under 20 (points). I knew if she got up around 30, it was going to be a bad night for us.”

The 6-foot-1 southpaw made 7 of her 12 field goals and 13 of 14 from the free throw line. Brown also hauled down a game-high 19 rebounds two days after nabbing 21 in a loss at Michigan Tech.

“She’s definitely a load,” said Wildcat senior center Courtney Lemon, one of several NMU players assigned to defend Brown. “I just tried to box her out and get her away from the hoop.

“She knows how to use her body to take advantage. It takes a toll on anyone who tries to guard her down there (in the paint).”

Mattson said what made it doubly difficult was that Brown got some help. Jackie Jones added 16 points – including a game-clinching 3-point shot with 1:55 left – and Christina Green chipped in 13 points.

“Jones is a God-awful shooter, but she made shots all night long … when she had the chance,” he said. “The Green girl came off the bench and had a big night too, so (Brown) got some help.”

Senior guard Alyssa Colla poured in 20 points – 13 in the second half – to lead NMU (4-3 overall, 2-2 GLIAC). Lemon added 15 after making five triples early in the contest and Northern senior guard Lauren Gruber contributed 14 points.

The teams were tied 48-48 with 7:40 remaining when the Warriors (5-1, 3-1), the No. 8-ranked team in the country in the USA Today Coaches Poll, starting taking more and more control. A couple of NMU turnovers and some missed shots hurt the Wildcats.

“We didn’t do a very good job securing the basketball on the defensive end when we got misses from (the Warriors),” Mattson said. “They got 16 offensive rebounds (in the game).

“They locked us up in the second half.”

Added Colla: “They made the plays at the end and we didn’t.”

NMU held a 31-29 lead at the half largely on Lemon’s triples. Northern’s first 12 points in the game came on four of her 3-pointers.

“It has been a while,” Lemon said of her long-range shooting success, adding the most she has sunk in her college career previously was three in a row. “I guess it was just time.

“I was awful (shooting-wise) in warmups.”

Notes: Wayne State has now won four of its last five contests with the Wildcats…. Despite losing, NMU still holds a 29-21 advantage in the all-time series…. There were nine lead changes and 12 ties in the game…. The Warriors’ bench players outscored their Northern counterparts 21-4.

Craig Remsburg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 251. His email address is cremsburg@miningjournal.net.