Box Score MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) – Behind a 20-point first-half lead, the Wisconsin Lutheran College women's basketball team defeated the visiting Concordia Chicago Cougars 58-45 Saturday afternoon on Winterfest inside the Recreation Complex. Senior Kelly Tramburg (Fall River, Wis.) paced the team with 19 points, with 13 coming in the first quarter. WLC clinched a berth in the conference tournament for the 23rd straight season with the win.
- Final Score: Wisconsin Lutheran 58, Concordia Chicago 45
- Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (15-5, 13-3 NACC), Concordia Chicago (7-14, 6-10 NACC)
- Location: Recreation Complex, Milwaukee, Wis.
- Wisconsin Lutheran took an early 6-0 lead behind a pair of threes from senior Tierney Woodward (Poynette, Wis.) and Kelly Tramburg. Concordia Chicago scored on its next three possessions to tie the game at 6-6 before sophomore Morgan Tramburg (Fall River, Wis.) gave the lead back with a midrange jumper.
- The Warriors closed the first quarter with an 11-0 run to take a 24-8 advantage after the first frame. Kelly Tramburg scored eight points on the run, including a pair of makes from three.
- Early in the second quarter, sophomore Kalies Birkholz (Watertown, Wis.) and Kelly Tramburg each made a shot from beyond the arc as WLC extended its lead to 20 points at 30-10. The Cougars went on a run of their own, closing the quarter with a 14-4 stretch to cut the lead to 34-24 at the break.
- Junior Amanda Brug (Sturtevant, Wis.) and sophomore Jenna Mace (Wisconsin Dells, Wis.) scored the first four points of the third quarter to extend the Warriors' lead back up to 14 at 38-24. Concordia Chicago brought the game back within single digits later in the quarter, but Wisconsin Lutheran made six free throws late in the quarter to extend the advantage back up to 12.
- The Cougars scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to trim the lead down to 48-42. A pair of layups from Mace stopped the run and gave WLC an 11-point lead with 6:52 remaining.
- After CUC made a layup, the Warriors scored five consecutive points to close out the Cougars 58-45. Kelly Tramburg made a jumper and a free throw, and Morgan Tramburg made a pair of free throws as WLC defeated the Cougars for the sixth straight time.
- Kelly Tramburg paced the team with a game-high 19 points, while Mace added 11 points and sophomore Ally Gough (Horicon, Wis.) had 10 points off the bench.
- The Warriors shot 33.3 percent (16-of-48) from the floor and 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from beyond the arc. WLC converted 17-of-22 (77.3 percent) from the charity stripe, the most makes from the free throw line this season.
- Wisconsin Lutheran out-rebounded the Cougars 45-34, with Brug finishing with a game-high 12 boards. The total was the second most rebounds in a game this season for the Warriors.
- Mace dished out five assists to lead the team while Brug had a pair of blocks.
- WLC clinched a spot in the conference tournament for the 23rd straight season.
- Bailey Steinkamp had a team-high 10 points, as the Cougars shot 28.8 percent (17-of-59) from the floor and 17.6 percent (3-of-17) from beyond the arc.
- Steinkamp led the team with eight rebounds, and Michaela Thornton and Crystal Corr each had a pair of assists.
- Concordia Chicago recorded 14 steals, with Charisma Robinson collecting a game-high seven steals.
- The Warriors travel to Dominican (15-7, 11-6 NACC) on Tuesday for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off against the Stars. Live stats and video will be available on WLCSports.com.
