The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Women's Basketball team travelled to Wahepton, ND last weekend for the Baymont Inn Classic on the campus of North Dakota State College of Science.
On Friday afternoon, the Golden Rams overcame a sluggish start to defeat NJCAA Division II Dakota College at Bottineau 75-71.
And on Saturday evening, the Golden Rams fought NJCAA Division I NDSCS valiantly for three quarters before falling 72-58.
Vs. Dakota College at Bottineau (W 75-71)
The Dakota College at Bottineau Lumberjacks came out firing on all cylinders in the first quarter, taking a 31-17 lead after one period thanks to connecting on 12 of 17 field goals (70.6 percent).
The hot shooting continued into the second quarter with Bottineau taking a 39-20 lead with 7:39 left in the half.
But the Golden Ram defense would start to find their footing, and the offense would begin clicking as well.
A Makayla Paggen three-pointer would kick-start a 7-0 run and trim the deficit to twelve.
After two Lumberjack free throws, Rashonna Thomas would connect from beyond the arc followed by another Paggen field goal to get the deficit into single digits 41-32.
Bottineau built the lead back to 12 points, 46-34, but a 7-1 run by Anoka-Ramsey got it back down to six.
A late field goal by Bottineau settled the first half score at 49-41.
Consecutive baskets from Lexus Hughes, and a free throw from Daron Mainville pulled Anoka-Ramsey within three, 49-46.
Anoka-Ramsey held Bottineau to just 15.8 percent shooting in the third period (3 of 19) to keep themselves in the game at 59-55 after three quarters.
Trailing by six, 63-57, with 8:06 to play in the game, Anoka-Ramsey would go on a 12-4 run to take their first lead 69-67 highlighted by a three from Chaniya Rogers and a field goal from Mainville with 3:48 left.
The teams would trade two-point field goals and eventually settle on a 71-71 tie with just under a minute remaining.
But a huge three-pointer from Za'Keea Sa'eed-El would give Anoka-Ramsey the lead for good.
The Lumberjacks would commit a turnover on their next possesion and Hughes would seal the game with a free throw with five seconds left.
Anoka-Ramsey held Bottineau to just 25.8 percent shooting in the second half and outscored the Lumberjacks 20-12 in the fourth quarter.
Mainville lead the scoring with 16 points to go with five rebounds.
Sa'eed-El finished with 12 points on 4 of 8 shooting and dished out four assists.
Thomas chipped in nine points, and Rogers finished with eight knocking down two threes.
Vs. NDSCS (L 72-58)
For three quarters it looked like the Golden Rams would pull off the road upset, but it wasn't meant to be.
The Golden Ram defense held NDSCS to just 30 percent shooting in the opening half while connecting on 45.8 percent of their own shots in taking a 34-28 lead into halftime.
With the score tied 16-16 in the second quarter, Anoka-Ramsey used a 7-0 run to pull ahead 23-16.
The lead was pushed to 11 after two free throws from Sa'eed El.
But the Wildcats were able to chip away and settle with the six point differential at the half.
NDSCS fought back in the third period to tie the game 43-43, but back-to-back threes from Thomas pushed the lead back to six with 4:20 left in the third.
A 5-0 spurt by the Wildcats trimmed the deficit to one with 2:14 to play in the period but a Mainville field goal finished the quarter with the Golden Rams ahea 53-50.
Nothing seemed to go right for the Golden Rams in the fourth as they started to run out of gas.
NDSCS opened the period on a 8-0 run to take a five point lead and never look back.
The Golden Rams had no answers as NDSCS outscored Anoka-Ramsey 22-5 in the fourth.
After shooting 45.8 percent in the first half the Golden Rams connected on just 28 percent of their shots in the second.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats reversed course making 53.3 percent of their shots in the last two periods.
Thomas lead the scoring with 13 points making four three-pointers.
Mainville and Sa'eed-El each scored 11 points with Sa'eed-El also dishing out six assists.
The Golden Rams are now 2-2 on the season and will host Iowa Lakes Community College on Tuesday, November 24 at 5:30pm in the Performance Gym.