The Mustangs built a 13 point lead at the 10:18 mark of the first half after a three-point basket by Roni Miller. The Red Raiders responded with an eight point run over the next three minutes and tied the game at 25-25 with 4:11 left in the half on a Becca Hurley basket.

Northwestern took the lead with 2:34 left on another Hurley basket to make it 28-27 and Morningside scored the final basket of the half, a shot by Autumn Bartel off a steal to make the halftime score 29-28.

The teams tied at 31-31 and a basket by Laura Nelson gave Morningside a lead they would never relinquish on a three-pointer with 18:01 left. The Mustangs outscored the Red Raiders 17-2 over a six minute span and were up 48-33. Northwestern fought back and narrowed the gap to 62-58 after a Kami Kuhlmann free throw with 00:10 left but the Mustangs were able to fend the Raider charge off and went on to win by the five point gap.

Morningside had three players in double figures with Autumn Bartel scoring 18 while Laura Nelson and Brittany Williamson had 11 each. Williamson led the Morningside rebounding effort with 11 and Bartel dished off five assists and had eight steals.

Northwestern was led by Becca Hurley's 19 points and she had five rebounds. Randa Hulstein had 13 points and hauled down a tournament record 26 rebounds, breaking the previous mark of 24 held by Randi Morgan of Dakota Wesleyan.

This is Morningside's third trip to the title game with their other two trips resulting in wins over Cedarville (Ohio) in 2004 and 2005. Morningside now sports a 37-0 record. Northwestern won the 2008 national tournament.

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