DECORAH, Iowa - Luther women's basketball went head to head with ranked #19 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse during their 2026-2027 season home opener. The Norse were defeated by the Eagles 43-63.
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead, taking an 18-7 advantage after the first quarter. UW-La Crosse continued to build its lead in the second quarter, outscoring the Norse 17-8 to take a 35-15 advantage into halftime.
Luther battled throughout the second half, matching the Eagles point-for-point in both the third and fourth quarters. The Norse scored 13 points in each of the final two periods, but UW-La Crosse maintained its lead to secure the 63-43 victory.
Haylie Strum led the Norse offensively with 18 points, adding six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Abby Anderson finished with 12 points, while Aurora Decker contributed seven points and six rebounds. Abigail Panka added six points and seven rebounds.
Luther finished the game shooting 29.6% from the field and recorded 38 rebounds.
Up next Luther will travel to St. Paul, Minn. to play against the University of Northwestern (Minn.) Eagles on Saturday Nov. 14. The Norse will tip off at noon in the Ericksen Center.
