JACKSON, Tenn. A late second-half run by Southern Nazarene University on Saturday proved fatal for the Montana State University-Northern women's basketball team's NAIA championship dreams.
Southern Nazarene erupted for a 13-0 spurt in the second half to break open a close game and lift the Crimson Storm to a 71-52 win over Northern in the second round of the NAIA national tournament.
The loss ended the Skylights' season at 26-8.
Southern Nazarene was hanging on to a 50-47 lead with just less than nine minutes remaining before the crucial run. Ndeye Ndiaye, Katie Korfe and Shannon Hands each scored four points during the 13-point surge.
Ndiaye and Korfe scored 22 and 21 points, respectively, for the Crimson Storm.
Northern struggled in the second half shooting the ball, making just 8 of 35 attempts (22.9 percent) and a 2-for-18 effort from beyond the three-point arc.
Southern Nazarene, which won four straight NAIA titles from 1994 to 1997, dominated the boards, gaining a 49-41 rebounding edge against the Skylights.
Abby Hjorth led Northern with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Davina Shoemake added 11 points, and Paula Owens recorded eight points and 10 rebounds.
The Skylights played throughout the tournament without their leading scorer, Lana Quintyne. Quintyne averaged more than 18 points a game during the regular season.
