Box Score MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) – The Wisconsin Lutheran College women's basketball team used a late jumper from Jen Dowden (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel) and six free throws from Caitlin Knueppel (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) within the final 30 seconds of overtime to escape the Kern Center with a thrilling 69-63 victory over MSOE on Wednesday night.
THE BASICS
- Final Score: Wisconsin Lutheran 69, MSOE 63 (OT)
- Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (10-5, 10-1 NACC), MSOE (7-8, 4-6 NACC)
- Location: Kern Center, Milwaukee, Wis. | Attendance: 111
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After baskets on the first two possessions of the game for the Warriors, MSOE closed the first quarter on a 10-2 run to hold a slim 13-11 lead after the first period of action.
- Neither team led by more than three points in the second quarter, and the score remained 23-22 in favor of the hosts for the final 3:17 of the first half.
- Wisconsin Lutheran was led at the break by Dowden's 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the floor, but the team shot just 32.3 percent and 22.2 percent from behind the arc.
- The Raiders connected on 43.5 percent of their shots in the first half of play.
- Coreana Carson (Milwaukee, Wis./HOPE Christian) provided a spark for WLC in the third quarter, scoring eight consecutive points to give the Warriors a 30-27 lead with 5:16 left.
- Dowden sank two free throws with 0:46 seconds left in the quarter to give WLC a 37-35 lead going into the fourth.
- Wisconsin Lutheran tied its largest lead of the game of six points with just 0:40 seconds left in regulation.
- MSOE's Lizzy Hilby brought the hosts within two with 0:22 seconds remaining, and after two missed free throws by WLC, Holly Denfeld knotted the game at 56-56 with 0:19 seconds left in regulation.
- Dowden's attempt at a buzzer-beater hit the rim short from the top of the arc as the fourth quarter horn sounded.
- The Raiders held the lead at 62-61 with 0:49 seconds left in overtime, but Dowden's baseline jumper gave Wisconsin Lutheran the one-point lead. Knueppel then sealed the game with six straight free throws in the final 16 seconds of action.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Dowden led all scorers with 28 points (11-for-15) and grabbed six boards. Knueppel finished with 17, all coming in the fourth quarter and overtime, and dished out a team-high four assists. Carson reached double-figures for the first time this year with 10 points.
- Wisconsin Lutheran shot 47.2 percent from the floor (25-for-53), while MSOE shot 42.9 percent on 24-for-56 from the field.
- Each team committed 21 turnovers with WLC holding a slim 16-13 advantage in points off turnovers. The Warriors controlled points in the paint, 32-22.
- The Raiders were paced by 21 from Hilby, 18 from Denfeld, and 17 from Margaret Pugh.
- The Warriors improved their all-time series lead over MSOE to 52-2.
UP NEXT
- The Warriors have the weekend off before hosting Edgewood (0-16, 0-11 NACC) on Tuesday night to kick off a busy three-game NACC week. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. In their previous matchup on Jan. 3 in Madison, WLC won 85-49. Links to live stats and video will be available at WLCSports.com.
