DULUTH, Minn.-- After falling behind by a big margin at halftime the shorthanded North Central University Women's Basketball team fought back hard in the second half. But their rally came up short in a 78-63 road loss to The College of St. Scholastica on Friday night.

North Central (7-17, 3-10) fell behind by a 42-21 margin in the first half versus a St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.) team that had already clinched the fourth and final spot in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference post-season tournament. NCU was able to get the lead down to 10 late in the game before a final push gave the home team a victory.

Senior Elisabeth Trickey (Waseca, Minn./Waseca) connected on a three point basket with 5:13 left that made the score 67-56. After freshman Jamie High (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) blocked a shot and got the rebound on the defensive end Trickey was just off on another three pointer and the Saints answered to make it a 13 point lead once again.

The next possession Trickey got a driving lay-in that cut it back to to 69-58 with 3:54 remaining. St. Scholastica turned the ball over their next possession and Jamie High drew a pair of free throws at the 3:43 mark and would go 1-2 at the line to get NCU to 69-59 but that would be as close as the Rams could get over the final time.

Junior Jorie Grenell (Lakeville, Minn./Spring Lake Park) led NCU with 16 points. Junior Julia Skeesick (Victoria, Minn./Chaska) had 13 points and 6 steals. Jamie High recorded a double-double of 13 points and a team high 11 rebounds. Elisabeth Trickey added 10 points and 9 rebounds.

Friday night's action was delayed due to travel difficulties for North Central as their bus got a flat tire less than an hour outside the Twin Cities.

The Rams finish out their regular season schedule at Northland College (Ashland, Wis.) on Saturday. The Rams lost to the Lumberjills on a last second shot by a 43-41 score in Minneapolis on January 25. Saturday's game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. tip-off.