Box Score (PDF)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Truman Women's Basketball team will move on to the NCAA Midwest regional semifinal and a date with the Drury Lady Panthers after dispatching Northwood (Mich.) 55-42 in the first round game on Friday night.

The Bulldogs started the game on an 8-0 run and kept the Timberwolves scoreless for nearly the first five minutes of the game. That set the tone as Truman ratcheted up the defense and led 15-6 after one.

The lead would expand to 14 in the second but was trimmed to 28-18 at half. 

Ellie Weltha made all five of her field goal attempts in the first half and led the team with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Northwood would get as close as eight at 41-33 with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter but following a Theo Dean timeout, Truman responded with Hannah Belanger knocking down a triple to spark a 9-0 Bulldog run to slam the door shut.

Weltha finished with 15 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for her fourth straight double-double and seventh in last eight games. Katey Klucking scored 10 with seven rebounds and six assists. Katie Jaseckas had five blocked shots. 

All Keyser led Northwood with 10 points and the Timberwolves shot only 27% from the field and were 3-of-18 from three. 

It was Truman's first win in the NCAA tournament since March of 1999.

The win sets up the rematch with Drury from last Sunday's GLVC Championship game. Drury used a hot start to down the Bulldogs 76-60 and are the number two seed in the regional. Tip time is slated for 7:45 p.m.