St. Norbert Spoils Senior Night With Last-Second Layup

MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) - St. Norbert overcame a nine-point third quarter deficit and hit the game-winning layup with 1.9 seconds left to hand Wisconsin Lutheran College a 56-54 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference defeat on Senior Night Wednesday at the Time of Grace Center. 

The Warriors (17-7, 14-3 NACC), whose two games with the Green Knights (21-3, 17-0 NACC) this season have been decided by a total of five points, honored senior manager Hadley Giovacchini (Huntley, Ill.) and players Kaitlyn Shadoski (Janesville, Wis.), Simeon Schult (Wausau, Wis.), and Ally Gough (Horicon, Wis.) during a pregame ceremony.

WLC and SNC exchanged leads four times throughout the first quarter, as the hosts trailed by no more than a point for a total of 1:29 in the opening period. Wisconsin Lutheran led 14-10 after junior Meggie Scott's (Yorkville, Ill.) jumper at the 1:44 mark, before carrying a 15-12 advantage into the second period.

Layups from sophomore Ainsley Howard (Jefferson, Wis.) and freshman Paige Werner (Neenah, Wis.) early in the second quarter gave the Warriors a 19-12 lead, but a 6-0 St. Norbert spurt brought them within one with 7:11 remaining. WLC closed the half on an 8-0 run, holding the Green Knights to just three made field goals in the period for a 27-18 lead at intermission.

Wisconsin Lutheran maintained its nine-point lead two-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter, but SNC came within four points at 29-25 a minute later. The Warriors followed with a pair of eight-point leads, including the later with 3:56 left after a pair of free throws from sophomore Madi Manson (Arvada, Colo.). St. Norbert used a 9-3 run over the final 3:14 to trail 38-36 after three quarters.

The Green Knights opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to take their first lead since the early stages of the game. SNC held a pair of five-point leads in the final frame, including 51-46 with 3:56 remaining. Free throws from sophomores Ella Ten Pas (Oostburg, Wis.) and Haley Ott (Germantown, Wis.) and a jumper from junior Sam Leisemann (Fall River, Wis.) knotted the score at 52-52 with 0:55 seconds left.

After a pair of St. Norbert free throws, Ten Pas tied the contest again at 54-54 on a layup with 0:31 seconds left. The Green Knights had one final possession with the ball and Olivia DeCleene converted a baseline layup with 1.9 seconds on the clock for the game-winning bucket.

Leisemann led WLC with 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while Ten Pas followed with 12 points and eight boards. Wisconsin Lutheran, which shot 42.9 percent (18-for-42), outscored SNC 32-18 in the paint. The Warriors were 16-for-18 from the charity stripe for a season-high 88.9 percent, but made just two of their 13 attempts from beyond the arc.

DeCleene finished with 21 points and six rebounds to lead St. Norbert, which shot 39.2 percent (20-for-51) and outscored WLC 15-7 in points off turnovers.

Wisconsin Lutheran concludes its regular season slate Saturday on the road against MSOE (7-17, 6-11 NACC) at 4:15 p.m. The Warriors can clinch the No. 2 seed in the NACC Tournament with a win over the Raiders. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.