Pack works out the kinks in exhibition with UNC

GREELEY, Colo. - The ThunderWolves women's basketball team took a first step toward the defense of their RMAC title Friday with a encouraging, however losing effort against Division I Northern Colorado, dropping the game 70-53.

The ThunderWolves had a very successful first half, leading by as much as four at one point, and holding the Bears to just 27 percent shooting from the field.  With two minutes remaining in the half, the Pack was holding a 26-25 lead before the Bears added three points to close the half, sending a forboding sign of things to come.

"We committed two turnovers in the close minutes of the first half, and we weren't able to respond well from there going into the second half," Pack coach Kip Drown said.

In the second half, UNC got hot, shooting 15-for-30 from the field while the Pack was faced with issues shooting the ball and committing turnovers, shooting just 30 percent from the field and committing nine turnovers.  UNC went on a 22-8 run to open the second half, keeping the game out of reach for the Pack.

"We couldn't match their intensity, and we just got blown away," Drown said.  "We went from being down three to being down 19 just like that, but I felt that after that point, we played them pretty evenly the rest of the way."

The ThunderWolves got a great individual effort from Amanda Bartlett (So., Kiowa, Colo.), who came off the bench to score 14 points and record seven rebounds, both team highs.  Bartlett went 6-for-11 in the game.

"She came off the bench and shot really well," Drown said.  "All around, she had a fantastic game."

The Pack's preseason match will be the team's one and only tune-up before games count, going on a long trip to Billing, Mont. to take on Montana State-Billings on Sat., Nov. 15 for the first portion of a home-and-home series, paired with a home matchup between the two schools on Jan. 3.