MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College clinched at least a share of its 14th Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference championship and extended its winning streak to 10 games with an 85-63 victory over Edgewood on Wednesday at Time of Grace Center.
The Warriors (19-5, 16-1 NACC) set the tone early, scoring the first eight points and racing out to a 16-3 lead at the 4:50 mark of the first quarter. WLC held the Eagles to just seven points while shooting 50 percent from the floor during a decisive first-period run to build a 20-7 lead. Senior
Jayden Hill (Kenosha, Wis.) paced Wisconsin Lutheran with eight first-quarter points.
The Warriors kept their foot on the gas in the second quarter, outscoring EC 25-14. WLC pieced together multiple 6-0 scoring spurts to lead 39-13 with four minutes left. Junior
Margie Stevens (Oneida, Wis.) netted eight second-quarter points and Wisconsin Lutheran took a commanding 45-21 advantage into halftime.
Both teams shot over 60 percent in the third quarter, but it was WLC which had the upper hand. A 7-0 run midway through the period helped push Wisconsin Lutheran's lead to 34 points at 62-28. Stevens led the charge with 15 points as the Warriors went into the final quarter in front 71-42.
Edgewood trimmed its deficit down to 21 points with a 6-0 spurt past the midway mark of the fourth quarter, but the outcome was never in doubt as WLC closed out the 85-63 conference win.
Wisconsin Lutheran shot 49.3 percent (33-of-67) from the field for the game. Stevens led all scorers with 27 points, while Hill added 13 and sophomore
Abby Cole (Fond du Lac, Wis.) chipped in 10. Cole paced the Warriors on the glass with a game-high eight rebounds, Hill dished out a team-high four assists and also led the way with three steals.
The Eagles (11-13, 10-7 NACC) finished the night shooting 37.7 percent (23-of-61). Kate Gunderson scored a team-high 12 points, while Taylor Wollin added 11. Wollin also led EC with seven rebounds.
WLC will close the regular season on Saturday, February 21, hosting Benedictine (17-7, 10-5 NACC) for Senior Day at 1 p.m. at Time of Grace Center. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
