by ST. LOUIS, Mo. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College couldn’t recover from a 15-point first quarter deficit on Saturday, falling to host and No. 18 WashU 66-47 in the championship game of the McWilliams Classic at WashU Field House.
The Warriors (2-3), who faced their fourth Top 25 opponent in their first five games, faced a 20-point deficit in the first half before outscoring the Bears in the second half.
WashU, which shot 52.9 percent in the first quarter, jumped out to a 17-2 lead over WLC more than halfway through the opening period. Wisconsin Lutheran outscored the Bears 7-3 the rest of the quarter to trail 20-9 after the first 10 minutes of action.
A jumper from junior Jayden Hill (Kenosha, Wis.) two minutes into the second quarter kept the Warriors within 11 points at 23-12. Five straight points from WashU pushed its lead back to 16, before the hosts extended their advantage to a game-high 20 points at the break, 38-18.
WLC exchanged buckets with the Bears the entire third quarter, as the two teams went back-and-forth. A three-pointer from sophomore Margie Stevens (Oneida, Wis.) brought Wisconsin Lutheran’s deficit down to 16 points three minutes in. Hill’s layup with a half-minute left in the quarter had the Warriors trailing 51-33 heading into the final frame.
WLC trailed by 20 points three minutes into the fourth quarter, but managed to come within 14 points with two-and-a-half minutes remaining after layup by senior Janiyah Goner (Milwaukee, Wis.). WashU netted the game’s final five points for the final 66-47 margin.
Stevens and freshman Abby Cole (Fond du Lac, Wis.), who were both selected to the McWilliams Classic All-Tournament Team, scored 16 and 10 points, respectively. Cole led Wisconsin Lutheran with a season-high nine rebounds. Hill chipped in with eight points and six rebounds. The Warriors were held to 24.1 percent (14-for-58) shooting from the floor. WLC tied a season high with 20 free throw attempts, making 15 of them for 75 percent.
Jessica Brooks, the McWilliams Classic MVP, scored a game-high 21 points for the Bears (4-0), who shot 45.8 percent (27-for-59) for the game. Lexy Harris added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
