[Women's Basketball] No. 18 Northwestern Holds off Women's Basketball

SAN DIEGO — Playing their toughest opponent of the season so far, the SDC women's basketball team hung around with No. 18 Northwestern.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, the Raiders defeated SDC 80-69 Saturday in the last leg of the SDC Invitational.

In the loss, the Hawks drop to an even 7-7 on the season. The Raiders improved to 10-5.

After shooting just 20 percent from the floor in the game on Friday, the Hawks doubled their percentage this game, shooting 40.7 percent on 24-of-59 shooting.

Northwestern got on the board first just six seconds into the contest to take a 2-0 lead. Anissa Wolfblack countered with a triple for a brief 3-2 lead for the Hawks. SDC led by five with just over a minute to go in the quarter as Dayna Hansen made a layup giving the Hawks a 18-13 lead. But the Raiders quickly went on a 6-0 run to close out the quarter to grab the one point lead.

Danna Robles and Jazmine Bradley helped the Hawks get the lead back in the early portion of the second quarter. The Hawks led 22-19, but it was the last lead the Hawks would hold. The Raiders stormed to a 15 point lead at the end of the half and looked in full control. Northwestern outscored the Hawks 26-12 in the second.

Trailing 45-30 to start the third, the Hawks responded to get back in the game. Robles, Bradley, Abigail Vargas and Erica McCarter all had parts in the 12-0 run to start the quarter to cut the deficit down to three with SDC trailing just 45-42. Both teams traded baskets and the Raiders lead didn't reach double figures the rest of the quarter.

But the Raiders were just too strong the rest of the way holding off the Hawks.

Wolfblack led the Hawks with 18 points. Robles was next with 14. Bradley followed with 11 and Vargas added 10 points.

SDC will start conference play on Jan. 6 as they hit the road to Fullerton and face Hope International starting at 5:30 p.m.