DE PERE, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Second-seeded Wisconsin Lutheran College was denied a third consecutive Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament championship, as top-seeded St. Norbert erased an eight-point deficit for a 48-42 win on Saturday at Mulva Family Fitness and Sports Center.
The Warriors (19-8) faced their only first-quarter deficit of 4-2 to the Green Knights (24-3) just over a minute gone by into the game. Five straight points put WLC in front 7-4 at the 5:47 mark and a three from sophomore
Kara Troxel (Bonduel, Wis.) doubled the lead to 12-6 with 3:40 remaining. Neither team managed to put any points on the scoreboard the rest of the period, as the score remained 12-6 in favor of Wisconsin Lutheran.
A three from sophomore
Lexy Smit (Brandon, Wis.) nearly a minute into the second quarter gave the Warriors a 14-6 lead. SNC came within three points on a few occasions, but WLC stretched its advantage back to eight at 23-15 following two free throws from junior
Sam Leisemann (Fall River, Wis.) at the 4:06 mark. All three of Wisconsin Lutheran's points under the 5:30 mark of the period came from the charity stripe, as it held onto a 24-20 lead at halftime.
St. Norbert started the second half with a 7-0 scoring run to take its first lead since the early stages of the game. The Green Knights stretched their lead to 34-27 with just 0:54 seconds left in the third quarter, as the Warriors' three points came from the charity stripe. Leisemann snapped WLC's field goal drought at 14:59 on a jumper with 0:31 seconds left, but SNC led 34-29 after three quarters.
Leisemann opened the final frame with a layup to cut the deficit to just three, but Wisconsin Lutheran was held without a point for the next 3:24 as St. Norbert built a 39-31 lead. The Green Knights led by a game-high nine points with 3:50 remaining, but the Warriors closed within three at 44-41 with 0:42 seconds to play after a jumper from sophomore
Haley Ott (Germantown, Wis.). Following two quick fouls, SNC converted a three-point play with 0:19 seconds left to seal the win.
Leisemann was the lone player from WLC in double figures with 12 points, in addition to tying a game-high with nine rebounds. Sophomore
Madi Manson (Arvada, Colo.) added eight rebounds. Wisconsin Lutheran shot 36.8 percent (14-for-38) for the game and was 9-for-16 from the charity stripe.Â
Olivia DeCleene paced St. Norbert with 16 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. The Green Knights were held to 32.7 percent (17-for-52) shooting but made 9 of their 11 free throw attempts.
Wisconsin Lutheran wraps up its 2022-2023 season 19-8 overall and 15-3 in the NACC. The Warriors reached the NACC Tournament championship for the 13th time in 17 straight conference tournament appearances.
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