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WBB Bench UWP
Braden Elton
The Norse celebrate a Lizzie Kauls lay up in the fourth quarter against UW-Platteville.
56
Wis.-Platteville UWP 1-3,0-0 WIAC
62
Winner Luther LUT 3-0,0-0 American Rivers
Wis.-Platteville UWP
1-3,0-0 WIAC
56
Final
62
Luther LUT
3-0,0-0 American Rivers
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Wis.-Platteville UWP 15 21 9 11 56
Luther LUT 20 18 8 16 62

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Norse grind out 62-56 win

DECORAH, Iowa  – The Luther College women's basketball team made quite the return to the Regents Center Gymnasium. In their first home game of the 2022-23 season, the Norse made a statement, grinding out a 62-56 win over the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. With the win, Luther opens the season with a 3-0 record, the team's best start of the season since the 2015-16 season. 

IT'S THE GRIND

The Norse proved to be the better team over the course of four quarters, as they gutted out every play in 40 minutes. Defense for both teams, though, defined the opening 10 minutes of play. Neither Luther nor UW-Platteville could score in the opening minutes of the game, until the Pioneers eventually took a 2-0 lead at 8:31 on free throws. That ignited a scoring run for both teams, as the Norse matched their visitors bucket for bucket through the opening five minutes. Eventually, Luther went on a 9-2 run, jump started by a Jordan Rubie (Winona, Minn. / Cotter) three-pointer, to take a 12-6 lead midway through the first quarter.

The two teams would combine to score 17 points in the final four minutes of the first, but it was the Norse that held the 20-15 advantage after the opening 10 minutes of play. UW-Platteville responded by winning the second quarter, outsourcing Luther 21-18. However, it wasn't enough for the Pioneers to overtake the Norse. With UW-Platteville leading 36-35, Rubie drained a last second three from the top of the key, securing a 38-36 lead for Luther entering the locker room at half. 

After a barrage of buckets in the first two quarters, the third was underwhelming by comparison. The Norse and Pioneers scored a combined 17 points in the penultimate quarter, with Luther holding the slimmest of leads at 46-45 entering the fourth. A late layup in the third by Chelin Isaacson (Superior, Colo. / Monarch) triggered the Norse offense in the fourth, as they quickly jumped out to a 53-47 lead, primarily on the hot hand of senior Lizzie Kauls (North Oaks, Minn. / Mounds View). The senior scored seven of her team-leading 16 points in the fourth quarter alone, leading Luther's offensive charge in the fourth quarter. Still, UW-Platteville hung around, using free throws to cut the Norse lead to 53-52. Luther proceeded to go on a 9-3 run to close the quarter, using free throws by Kauls to secure the 62-56 win.

TOP NORSE

  • Lizzie Kauls (North Oaks, Minn. / Mounds View) led the Norse in points, scoring 16 points on 5-5 shooting form the floor and 5-7 shooting from the charity stripe. Kauls also recorded a double-double, leading the team with 11 rebounds. 
  • Kailey Jones (Avoca, Iowa / AHSTW) scored 15 points for Luther Tuesday evening, while Kate Hosking (Slinger, Wis. / Slinger) and Grace Prokosch (Oakdale, Minn. / HIll-Murray) added 10. 
  • Megan Miller (Urbandale, Iowa / Williamsburg) tallied a season and career-high six assists in the win Tuesday.  

UP NEXT
Luther will return to action on Friday, November 18 when it hosts UW-Stout in its second home game of the week. Tip off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Decorah, Iowa. 

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