The Colorado College women’s basketball team battled the North Central College Cardinals to the very end. Still, the Tigers overcame a fourth-quarter comeback to ultimately take the 82-78 victory to improve to 2-0 for the second consecutive season.
Four Tigers scored in double digits, led by Isa Nelson, who matched her career-high of 18 points. The sophomore shot 7-14 from the floor, including 4-7 from three-point range. Nelson started and played all 40 minutes, which was also a career-high.
Nelson also notched a team-high five assists, five rebounds and a steal.
Kayla Mackel dished out a season-high 18 points, four boards, and two assists. Senior Zoë Tomlinson was a rebound shy of another double-double after racking up 15 points and nine boards.
Finally, Healy Bledsoe was also a board shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. The Bend, OR, native also led the team with two steals.
CC shot only 39.4 percent from the floor, but the team made 10 three-pointers, the most in a game since February. 24, 2024.
The Tigers led 38-35 at the half and held the Cardinals to 40 percent from the floor in the opening quarter. NCC outscored CC in the second quarter, but the home team still had the halftime advantage.
In the third quarter, CC exploded for 31 points after making four of eight three-pointers, and Mackel led the way with 14 points after shooting three of five from long range.
With the lead, the Tigers entered the fourth with an 18-point lead. The Cardinals used the next eight minutes to attempt an envious comeback and brought the game within two points with 2:38 to play.
CC was up 73-71 before Laura Strenk increased the advantage to four points with a layup inside the paint.
The Tigers worked it back up to six points with 58 seconds to play with a pair of Kyle Rowland free throws to help put the game away.
CC never trailed over the four quarters and led by as many as 17. Next week, the Tigers will travel to the Macalester Tournament in St. Paul, Minnesota, and will battle Simpson College in the first game on Friday, Nov. 22nd.
