ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College women's basketball team held on to beat North Central University, 43-38 on the first day of the Twin Cities Invitational, hosted by Macalester in the Leonard Center Friday and Saturday. The Scots, who have won five straight, improve to 5-1 on the season, while the Rams drop to 0-5.

On Saturday, Nov. 23 at 2:00 p.m., Macalester will face Colorado College, which defeated Simpson College, 76-52 in the first game on Friday. North Central and Simpson will play at 12:00 p.m. to open play on Saturday.

The Scots trailed early in the first quarter, 7-3 before reeling off an 11-1 run to close out the quarter with a 14-8 lead. Five different Scots scored in the run, which was capped by a three-pointer by sophomore guard Kendall Bernbaum (Dallas, Texas/Shelton School). Macalester outscored North Central, 13-9 in the second quarter, with sophomore guard Sydnee Smith (Gainesville, Va./Patriot) hitting a pair of threes to give the Scots a 27-17 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, a 9-5 run by the Rams made it a six-point game, 32-26 midway through the quarter. Macalester responded by scoring the final seven points of the quarter, including a three from Bernbaum, two free throws by senior guard Peyton Starks (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) and a basket by sophomore guard Mary Daley (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan), to put the Scots up 13, 39-26 heading into the fourth quarter.

The lead was tenuous, as Macalester went cold from the field in the fourth quarter with just one field goal in 11 attempts. After Daley's basket with under six minutes to play, North Central picked away at the lead, coming to within four points, 42-38 with 1:12 remaining. But Smith stole the ball with nine seconds left, and a free throw by Daley was enough to hold off the Rams down the stretch and earn the Scots' fifth win in a row.

Starks led Macalester with 10 points, while Daley registered eight points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists. Norquist also had eight rebounds to go with five points and three steals, while Smith had four steals and six points. Kaitlyn VanderPloeg led North Central with 20 points and 13 boards.

The Twin Cities Invitational concludes on Saturday, Nov. 23, with Simpson and North Central playing at 12:00 p.m., and Macalester and Colorado College facing off at 2:00 p.m. in the Leonard Center. Tickets for the Twin Cities Invitational are $12 per day. Kids under 6 are free; Macalester students, faculty and staff are free with a valid Macalester ID.

Twin Cities Invitational - Nov. 22-23 at Macalester College
Friday, Nov. 22
Colorado College 76, Simpson 52
Macalester 43, North Central 38

Saturday, Nov. 23
North Central vs. Simpson, 12:00 p.m.
Colorado College vs. Macalester, 2:00 p.m.

Links to video, live stats and more can be found on the Twin Cities Invitational website.