MINNEAPOLIS – North Central University women's basketball held tight with Hamline University through the first half of their 2016-17 home opener, but couldn't keep up with the Pipers' pace and dropped the Friday night match-up by a final of 60-77.

Hamline (1-1) came out firing in the first quarter, jumping to a 21-7 lead before the Rams began a run of their own starting with a three-pointer from Marissa Kari (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes). Lizzy Swanson scored the next seven in a row for NCU to help her team pull within five at the end of the first quarter. In the second, five different Rams scored, including a pair of threes from Swanson and Amy Hoover (Royalton, Minn./Royalton) to tie the game at 32-32 with less than five minutes remaining in the half. The Pipers quickly went on a six point run before North Central had a small surge of its own to pull within three points at halftime.

In the first few minutes of the third quarter, NCU and Hamline traded offensive punches before an Annabel Morrisroe (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet) jumper and Sydney Steele (Woodbury, Minn./New Life Academy) free throw brought the Rams to within one at 49-50 with 3:19 left in the third. After that, however, the game was all Hamline as the Pipers went on a 10-point run extending into the fourth quarter, followed closely by a 13-2 run to finish out the game.

Swanson led the Rams with a game-high 24 points, which included three three-pointers. She also grabbed six rebounds before fouling out with 1:20 left in the final frame. Morrisroe and Steele both added another eight points, and Morrisroe had a game-high eight rebounds. As a team, NCU edged out the Pipers rebounding numbers 42-41, but shot 33 percent from the field compared to Hamline's 43 percent shooting.

North Central (0-2) continues its two-game home stand on Saturday as the Rams host the Trinity Bible College Lions (2-1). Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m.