GREELY, Colorado ? Southern Utah stuck with the University of Northern Colorado in the first half before the Bears exploded in the second to blow by the Thunderbirds for an 87-58 victory.
Desiree Jackson and Brenna Gates led the Thunderbirds in scoring with 11 and 10, respectively. Marquelle Funk finished with nine points as Ashleigh Munns contributed eight. Jackson shot 3 for 3 from the three-point line.
Jessica Richardson rounded out the night with eight boards as Gates added seven. Jackson tacked on seven assists and four steals in the loss.
Southern Utah shot 33.3% from the field, 31.8% from beyond the arch and 56.5% from the free throw line. The Thunderbird's bench contributed 16 points.
Gates tacked up back-to-back layups to launch the game for Southern Utah before the Bears battled back to tie the game at seven and nine. Emma Weinreich and Richardson tacked in layups and Funk hit a three to grasp a 16-12 lead.
Northern Colorado enjoyed a nine-point run to grab a 29-21 lead. Munns hit a three and a layup to cut the Bear's lead to three. The Bears took a second nine-point streak to spring ahead to clench a 43-31 lead at the half.
Funk and Munns led the first half in scoring with nine and eight, respectively. Jackson tacked up six assists in the first half as Richardson led in rebounds with four. Southern Utah shot 46.4% from the field and 50% from the three-point line in the opening half.
Southern Utah crept within eight to begin the second half before Northern Colorado extended its lead to fifteen. Jackson drained a three-pointer and Gates knocked in a single free throw to cut the Bear's lead to 11 before an 11-point run placed UNC with a 22-point lead. Donna Koerber and Jackson each knocked in a pair of free throws before Northern Colorado finished a handful of shots to maintain their lead.
The Bears held a 24-point lead with just under five minutes to play before Sarah McGee finished a single free throw and Jackson nailed back-to back three-pointers. Koerber knocked in two free throws to round out the night for Southern Utah. The University of Northern Colorado shot 47.2% from the field to earn an 87-58 win.
Southern Utah will host in-state rival Weber State on Feb. 12 and Idaho State on Feb. 14 in the Centrum Arena before hitting the road to take on Eastern Washington and the University of Idaho.
