Warriors clinch NAC South title with win over Cougars

MILWAUKEE - The Wisconsin Lutheran women's basketball team clinched the 2008-09 Northern Athletics Conference South Division title outright by defeating the Concordia University Chicago Cougars 78-56 on Monday at the Recreation Complex.

WLC held the lead for the first 11:43 of the first half before the Cougars took a 25-21 lead with 6:54 left before halftime. The Warriors closed the half on a 15-4 run to take a 36-29 lead at halftime. Leads were exchanged six times in the opening period.

Senior guards Kristen Dillon (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) and Britany Lindert (Milwaukee, Wis./School of Languages) finished with 15 and 13 points, respectively, in the half. Whitney Miller (Germantown, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) grabbed 11 rebounds.

The Warriors opened the second half on a 16-2 run to take a commanding 52-31 lead with 11:50 remaining in the game. The Cougars trimmed their deficit back down to 11 points, 62-51, at the 7:25 mark. WLC was able to build its lead back up to a game-high 24 points twice within the final three minutes of the game to win its fifth straight game.

Dillon made a career-high seven three-point field goals to finish with a game-high 25 points, while Lindert followed with 24 points. Whitney Miller tallied her fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 17 rebounds.

WLC, which out-rebounded CUC 50-31, owned a 15-0 advantage in second-chance points. The Warriors also shot 39.1 percent (27-for-69) from the floor in the game and sank a season-high 11 three-pointers.

Marche Smith scored 19 points to lead four players in double figures for Concordia Chicago (7-16, 4-13 NAC), which finished the game shooting 37.7 percent (20-for-53). Katie Leitermann added a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Seniors Dillon, Lindert and Alaina Miller (Cedarburg, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) played their final regular-season home game on the REX floor. A pre-game ceremony was held prior to tip-off.

Wisconsin Lutheran (16-7, 14-3 NAC) plays its final game of the regular season on Wednesday when it travels to Dominican University in River Forest, Ill., for a 7 p.m. contest with the Stars. The Warriors defeated the Stars 92-52 in their first meeting of the season on January 15 at the Recreation Complex.