ROSEVILLE, Minn.  – There wasn't much that didn't go right for the Luther College women's basketball team in its season opener. The Norse earned a commanding 73-65 win over the University of Northwestern-St. Paul to start the 2022-23 season, as the team shot .429 from the floor in the victory, including a mark over .500 in both the first and third quarters. With the win, Luther opens the season with a 1-0 record for the second consecutive season. 

VICTORY FORMATION
The Norse led the competition from start to finish, jumping out to a blistering 26-19 lead after the first quarter. Luther shot .589 in the first 10 minutes of play, shooting 10-17 from the floor and 6-8 from three-point range. The Norse cooled a bit in the second, but not enough for the Eagles to make a comeback. Though it was a much more tightly contested quarter, Luther outscored Northwestern-St. Paul 16-15 in the second, using a last second jump shot by Kailey Jones (Avoca, Iowa / AHSTW) to hold a 42-34 advantage over the Eagles walking into the locker room at half. 

The third quarter was eerily similar to the first, with the Norse holding a hot shooting hand early and often. Back-to-back buckets from Lizzie Kauls (North Oaks, Minn. / Mounds View) regained a double-digit lead for Luther, pushing the team ahead 46-34 just minutes into the second half. The Norse continued to outpace Northwestern-St. Paul, extending their lead to 56-40 by the four minute mark and closing the quarter with a 63-45 lead. 

The only quarter the Eagles outscored Luther in was the fourth, as Northwestern-St. Paul only allowed two Norse baskets in the final 10 minutes of play. The damage was already done for the Norse, though, as the Eagles were unable to catch the visitors in the end. With the clock winding down, Northwestern-St. Paul attempted to mount a comeback with fouls, but it was too little, too late, as Jordan Rubie (Winona, Minn. / Cotter) secured Luther's 73-65 victory by draining two free throws with 11 seconds left on the clock. 

TOP NORSE

• Kailey Jones (Avoca, Iowa / AHSTW) paced the Norse with 21 points in the season opener, shooting 9-11 from the floor and 2-4 from beyond the arc. Jones was also one rebound shy of a double-double, pulling in a team-leading nine rebounds in the win. 
• Kate Hosking (Slinger, Wis. / Slinger) was also a rebound away from a double-double, scoring 11 points to go with nine rebounds for Luther. Jordan Rubie (Winona, Minn. / Cotter) also scored in double-digits, closing the game with 15 points. 
• Megan Miller (Urbandale, Iowa / Des Moines Christian) and Grace Prokosch (Oakdale, Minn. / Hill-Murray) led the team with four assists Tuesday evening. 

UP NEXT
Luther's next game will be on the road, as the team travels to take on Carleton College on Saturday, November 12. Tip off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Northfield, Minnesota.