Timely Runs Lift Indiana Wesleyan Over Lady Lancers
Timely Runs Lift Indiana Wesleyan Over Lady Lancers
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Josh Neuhart-
Timely Runs Lift Indiana Wesleyan Over Lady LancersWINONA LAKE – Grace College’s women’s basketball team could not piece together an upset of No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan University, falling 80-67 on Wednesday in Crossroads League action.
The Lady Lancers (10-11, 4-5 CL) kept pressure on IWU throughout the contest, but a few timely runs by the Wildcats won the game.
Brooke Sugg scored 24 points in a losing effort, hitting 4 of 7 from the three-point line.
The Wildcats (14-7, 7-2 CL) shot an impressive 56 percent as a team, including 41 percent from beyond the arc.
Grace could not find a point for the first few minutes of Wednesday’s game, and IWU took advantage with a 6-0 lead.
The Lady Lancers fell behind by nine before Sugg buried a three-pointer with three minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Brooke Treadway scored late in the quarter, but Grace still trailed 18-11 going into the second.
Grace ramped up its defensive pressure in the second quarter, and it quickly paid dividends.
The Wildcats were flustered by Grace’s pressure, committing seven turnovers in the first six minutes of the quarter. The Lady Lancers took advantage by scoring 12 points off those miscues.
Grace went on a 14-4 charge to grab the lead. Vironnica Drake made a layup and hit two free throws for Grace’s first lead at 26-25. After another IWU turnover, Sugg drilled another triple for a four-point lead.
The Wildcats responded calmly, ending the half with five straight points to claim a 36-34 lead at halftime.
Grace only shot 39 percent from the floor – compared to 52 percent for IWU – but Grace made 4 of 8 from beyond the arc. The Lady Lancers also grabbed nine offensive boards. Sugg’s 10 points led Grace’s attack in the first 20 minutes.
The Wildcats attacked the paint early in the second half and opened up an eight-point lead at 52-44.
Grace continued to pressure the Wildcats and remained within striking distance. Sugg’s basket in the paint cut the deficit to three with 2:02 left in the third quarter.
But similar to the second quarter, IWU ended the third period with momentum. The Wildcats scored seven unanswered points over the last two minutes, including a last-second jump shot to lead 63-53 at quarter’s end.
Grace did its best to battle back in the fourth quarter and sliced the deficit to seven. But a Lady Lancer drought that lasted 2:30 allowed IWU to open up a comfortable cushion en route to the 13-point win.
The Lady Lancers made 42 percent from the floor, 33 percent from the arc and 65 percent on free throws. Grace was outrebounded by 11 and produced just nine assists on 25 made field goals.
Drake had 12 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists, and Treadway tallied nine points and four boards for Grace. Kamryn Hostetler scored nine points, and Kyannah Stull added five points, three boards, two assists and two steals.
Margot Woughter led IWU with 25 points, while former Warsaw Lady Tigers standout Dayton Groninger tallied 20 points and six rebounds, and Nicole Ignasiak finished with 12 points.
Wednesday’s game was also a “Blackout.” The teams joined causes in order to raise awareness and funds for non-profit organization Destiny Rescue. The game helped raise over $1,500 to aid Destiny Rescue, who has a mission to end child trafficking.
The Lady Lancers remain at home on Saturday for a doubleheader against Taylor. The women’s game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m., followed by the men’s game.
