NDSCS vs Anoka-Ramsey 1-7-12

I headed over to Coon Rapids as soon as I got out of Bethel's Robertson Center to take in the 3:00 P.M. game between visiting NDSCS out of Wahpeton, North Dakota and host Anoka-Ramsey.  I arrived at ARCC with about 13:00 left in the first half but, like a total idiot, I managed to leave my notebook in my car which prevented me from taking notes about a fairly close first half (somewhat rare for Anoka-Ramsey which typically pulls away from most opponents midway in the first half).  The Rams did use a late push before the break to build a slightly more comfortable 43-28 lead. 

The visiting Wildcats actually made a push of their own as the second half began.  Sophomore post Dericka Griffis scored inside at the 19:42 mark and fellow sophomore Kari Bergstrom knocked down a jumper at the 18:59 mark.  Freshman guard Sierra Benning scored at the 18:39 mark and NDSCS had whittled the Anoka-Ramsey edge down to 43-34 before ARCC finally began to find their way again.  Freshman Maria Loughlin knocked down two freebies and then also drained a "3" from the right wing at the 17:32 mark that expanded the ARCC advantage to 48-36.  Powerful sophomoe post Tracy McGregor and athletic Tamarra Shorter helped build ARCC's lead to 52-36 before NDSCS freshman Katie Campbell stemmed the tide somewhat with a "3" at the 15:36 mark. 

But Anoka-Ramsey was simply too deep and too athletic to be denied at home on this day.  They built up a 24-point lead by the 8:43 mark behind Capreice Ogris' free-throw shooting and Loughlin's prowess from the outside.  Worse yet for NDSCS, sophomore Kaylin Sheets was temporarily knocked out of the game when she suffered an apparent bloody nose after absorbing an inadvertent shot and sophomore Michelle (Mimi) Reif never could get her outside shooting game going despite giving it her all on the defensive end.  Thus, a lot of the scoring opportunities for the Wildcats were reliant upon Campbell.  She did drain another "3" from the top at the 5:15 mark and Sheets eventually did get back into the game to add to her total from the charity stripe plus another drive and finish with 2:56 left.  Campbell also knocked down an almost impossible shot with the shot clock about to expire (and being defended closely in the process) at the 1:55 mark but Anoka-Ramsey would win this one comfortably enough by a score of 75-56.