POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- The season ended for Houghton women's basketball with a 76-52 loss to #7 seed Northwestern (Minn.) in the fifth place game of the 2025 NCCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Tournament.

With the loss, Houghton finishes 6th in the tournament and wraps the season with an 18-11 record overall.

The Highlanders had trouble converting from the floor, hitting on just 32 percent of their shots. The Eagles were up 16-5 late in the first quarter, but Emma Cole hit a bucket to beat the first quarter buzzer to trim the deficit to nine. A pair of threes from the Eagles continued to swell the UNW lead in the second quarter, but a layup from Tricia Carmer and a three-ball from Natalie Rivera kept Houghton within striking distance. Allison Terry connected on a tough layup at the end of the second period, pushing the Northwestern advantage to 32-19 at the break. Houghton shot just 7 for 34 in the first half.

The hot shooting continued for the Eagles in the third period, and the Eagles were ahead 42-24 halfway through the frame. Crysta Lacrosse added a triple for Houghton, but a three and a layup from the Eagles upped the lead to 55-33 going into the fourth.

The lead grew to as many as 30 before Houghton closed the game on a 9-3 run.

Houghton was playing without leading scorer and All-American Kayla Camacho, who missed the game due to personal obligations. Crysta LaCrosse led the team with 10 points and added three assists. With those three helpers, she surpassed Charity (O'Connor) Kleitz for most assists in a season with 135.

Cole and Rivera added seven apiece. Abigail Guiher and Tricia Carmer each pulled down a team-leading eight rebounds.