Box Score
Box score
RIVER FOREST, Ill. - Senior forward Erika Laete
(Spokane, Wash./Evergreen Lutheran) set a school and Northern
Athletics Conference record by dropping in 50 points on Saturday
afternoon to lift the Warriors to a come-from-behind 96-91 win over
the Dominican University Stars at the Igini Sports Forum. Laete
also became the 13th player in WLC women's basketball history to
reach 1,000 career points.
The Warriors grabbed the lead early, leading by as many as six
points, 11-5, with 14:36 remaining in the first half. Laete carried
the team to start by scoring the first 13 points of the game for
the Warriors. The Stars responded, and, with 10:34 remaining, took
the lead 17-15 and never trailed again in the first half. DU built
its lead to as many as 11 points with 3:07 remaining and entered
halftime with a five-point lead, 35-30.
WLC out-shot the Stars 41 percent (13-for-32) to 38 percent
(12-for-32) in the first half, but DU was able to hit 4 of 9
three-point attempts, while the Warriors only attempted one
three-point shot. Laete scored 19 of her record-setting 50 points
in the first half on 8-for-15 shooting.
DU began the second half by building its lead to 12 points with
18:12 remaining. The Warriors cut the lead to five points three
different times but were never able to come any closer until :40
seconds remained in the game. After two Shavon Dillon (Milwaukee,
Wis./Hope School) lay-ups, including one three-point play, WLC
trailed by one point with :15 seconds remaining. DU's Becky
Christofferson hit one of two free throw attempts, giving the Stars
a two-point lead, 80-78, with :13 seconds left. Laete hit a jumper
with seven seconds remaining on a dish from Dillon to tie the game
and send it into overtime.
Despite going 0-for-3 behind the arc, the Warriors were able to
shoot 60 percent (22-for-37) in the second half and make 6 of 8
free throws. DU also improved in the second half, shooting
14-for-32 (44 percent) and going 4-for-13 from behind the arc while
also converting 13 of 21 free-throw attempts. Laete added 24 points
in the second half, while pulling down eight of her game-high 15
rebounds.
The Stars did not trail in the first 4:06 of overtime. Their
largest lead of three points came at 3:13, while the game was tied
four separate times. With :52 seconds left, the Warriors took their
first lead of overtime after a lay-up by Rachel Johnson (Milwaukee,
Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) and never relinquished it. Another Johnson
lay-up and free throw was enough for WLC to escape with a
five-point victory, 96-91.
Laete's 50 points came on 22-for-34 shooting. She entered the
game needing 35 points to reach 1,000 for her career. It is also
the highest point total scored in NCAA Division III women's
basketball this season. Johnson added 20 points and the only other
Warrior in double figures was Dillon with 11 points. Laete's
game-high 15 rebounds helped WLC win the rebounding battle, 45-40.
Johnson added eight boards and Krissy Day (West Allis,
Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) had seven. Dillon and Day also led the
Warriors with five assists apiece.
Dominican (19-6, 14-3 NAC) had four players in double figures.
Katie Budz had a team-high 30 points. Christofferson and Magdalena
Kaminska each added 16 points, and Kayla Blom added 10. Kaminska
also added a team-high 12 rebounds with Blom grabbing eight.
Wisconsin Lutheran (22-3, 16-2 NAC), the top seed in the NAC
Tournament, will host the eighth-seeded MSOE Raiders (8-17, 5-12
NAC) on Tuesday in a quarterfinal matchup at the Recreation
Complex. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
