WAVERLY, Iowa – No. 6/7 women's basketball opened NCAA Tournament play with a 72-65 win over Wisconsin Lutheran University (23-5) at home on Friday, Mar. 1. The Knights move to 26-2 overall and will host tomorrow's second round game at 7:30 p.m. against No. 16/20 Illinois Wesleyan University.
Game Summary
- First Half
- First Quarter
- The Knights started the game with baskets from Jaedon Murphy and Taylor Runchey to take a 4-0 lead
- Murphy recorded a steal on both of WLC's first two possessions
- A Sara Faber three point play and a layup from Murphy put the Knights ahead 9-3 with 7:43 left in the first
- The Warriors cut the lead to one with 5:23 left in the quarter, but Murphy responded with a three pointer to make the score 14-10
- A Natalie Bearbower three from the corner sparked a 10-2 run to close the quarter
- Wartburg led 24-16 after the first
- Second Quarter
- WLC started the second quarter with the first four points until a Britney Young three stopped the short run
- Faber scored the next to baskets for Wartburg, but the Warriors cut the lead to 31-26 with 6:23 left in the half
- Two free throws from Grace Hennessy put the Knights up eight, but WLC made three-straight threes to storm back in front 34-33 with just over two minutes left in the half
- The Knights answered with a run of their own after Faber connected on a three pointer, Lauren Woeste made a three-point play and then Murphy closed the half with a layup
- Wartburg led 41-34 at the break
- Second Half
- Third Quarter
- After an early Warriors basket, both Murphy and Faber drilled threes to extend Wartburg's lead to 11
- WLC scored five straight, but Murphy connected from deep again to keep the Knights ahead 50-41 halfway through the quarter
- WLC continued to whittle away at the lead as they got within three points with 2:39 left in the third
- Wartburg closed the quarter with a three-point play from Faber after a steal and then a Lauren Golinghorst free throw to make the score 54-47
- Fourth Quarter
- After almost three minutes of scoreless play, Woeste started the scoring with a layup
- Bearbower made a driving layup followed by free throws from Macy Harris to put the Knights ahead 61-51 with just over five minutes to play
- A Murphy three stretched the lead to 11, but WLC continued to fight and cut the deficit to five with 2:43 left
- Wartburg led by three with under a minute to play before Woeste made a clutch shot in the paint to make the score 67-62 with 37 seconds left
- The Knights closed it out at the line to win it 72-65
Top Performers
- Jaedon Murphy
- 26 points
- Four assists
- Two steals
- Two rebounds
- Sara Faber
- 17 points
- Four rebounds
- Three steals
- Three assists
- Lauren Woeste
- Nine points
- Four rebounds
- One steal
- One assist
Notes/Streaks
- Knights advance to second round for second-straight season
- Wartburg moves to 4-0 all-time against Wisconsin Lutheran
- 2-0 in NCAA Tournament games
- Wartburg shooting percentages: 52.3% FG, 36.8% 3P and 76% FT
- Fifth time this season eclipsing 50% from the field as a team
- Murphy's 26 points ties her season high in 2023-24
- The Knights owned a 32-20 advantage in points scored in the paint
Postgame Press Conference
Story from KWWL.
Next Time Out
The Knights will move to the second round where they will host Illinois Wesleyan University at 7:30 p.m. inside Levick Arena.
