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PUERTO AVENTURAS, Mexico – Backed by true freshman Shannon Todd's 19 points, the Northeastern women's basketball team gave Wichita State a run for its money during the final three quarters of Saturday afternoon's game despite the Huskies ending their stay at the 2016 Cancun Challenge with an 87-73 defeat.
 
Todd, who scored 17 of her 19 points during the second half, more than doubled her previous scoring high, nine points, set on Nov. 13 against Canisius. The NU rookie from York, Maine, made seven of her 11 attempts from the floor, including a four-of-seven shooting mark from downtown. She also finished with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
 
Northeastern (2-5) faced a 21-point deficit at the end of the first quarter, but rallied to shoot 64 percent (23-of-36) from the field the rest of the way, outscoring Wichita State (2-4) by seven. Jess Genco helped the Huskies navigate the Shockers during the second quarter, piling on eight points, her game total, while knocking down both of her 3-point tries.
 
Zoe Zwerling charted 12 points, ending her week at the Cancun Challenge as Northeastern's leading scorer (10.7 points per game). Zwerling also contributed four boards and four assists to the Huskies' cause, while Claudia Ortiz added 10 points as well.
 
Ayanna Dublin tracked down seven rebounds for NU during 24 bench minutes, setting career highs in both statistical categories. The freshman from Brooklyn, New York, also tallied four points and two steals.
 
TaQuandra Mike and Jeliah Preston supported Wichita State's 87-point afternoon with identical, 17-point performances. Preston hit five of her six field goals from behind the arc, three of which occurred during the first quarter. Sabrina Lozada-Cabbage tacked on 13 points for the Shockers, while Angiee Tompkins totaled nine points and six rebounds.
 
Northeastern won the battle in the paint, 34-38, against Wichita State, but experienced a -7 turnover differential, of which the Shockers capitalized for a 29-17 advantage in points off turnovers. Rebounding was relatively level throughout the game, with the Huskies coming up just short, 30-29.
 
QUARTER RECAPS
 
• First Quarter: Todd's layup on the Huskies' opening possession of the game put NU ahead by a deuce early, but Wichita State responded with a 9-0 run during the next two minutes, pushing Northeastern into a timeout. Francesca Sally helped bring the Huskies to within four points at 12-8 with 5:07 remaining, but the Shockers' 77 percent shooting allowed them to net 17 points courtesy of a 23-6 run to close the quarter.
 
• Second Quarter: Loren Lassiter continued her physical play within the paint as the second quarter began, earning a trip to the line 61 seconds in. Jess Genco caught fire midway through the period, sinking a pull-up jumper and another 3-pointer that forced Wichita State into a timeout at 5:16. Genco would follow Ortiz's one-handed floater in the lane with her second 3-pointer of the quarter, slicing the Shockers' lead to 41-27 with 2:22 left in the half. Zoe Zweling's three-ball a few plays later lowered the Huskies' hole to 13 points, but Wichita State would take a 47-32 game into the mid-game break.
 
• Third Quarter: Ayanna Dublin started the half with a huge block for the Huskies, before Todd drained a 3-pointer to begin her 17-point second half. With Northeastern trailing, 47-35, Wichita State sported a 5-0 run, but the Huskies responded with six straight points, including another 3-pointer by Todd. Despite tightening the game as close as 11 points, 56-45, with 5:08 to play, the Shockers widened the margin, upping their lead to 20 after three quarters.
 
• Fourth Quarter: Ortiz broke through with five points to start the final quarter, but two 3-point baskets by the Shockers distanced them by 23 points at 79-56. Northeastern ultimately scored the final eight points of the game, recording six during the last 15 seconds of the half.
 
UP NEXT
 
Northeastern will venture back to the United States and return to Cabot Center on Thursday, Dec. 1, when the Huskies host New Hampshire at 7 p.m.