(Fort Wayne, IN) – Concordia women's basketball traveled to WHAC leader and #12-ranked Indiana Tech on Saturday afternoon for a critical conference matchup. The Cardinals came in 16-10 overall and 10-7 in the WHAC while the Warriors entered 23-4 overall and 16-1 in the WHAC. CUAA battled hard with Indiana Tech throughout the game, but a strong 4th quarter lifted the Warriors to an 81-68 win.
Tris'styn Williams led the Cardinals with 19 points in the game. Katie Snow finished second with 18 points and a team-high 8 rebounds. Averi Bebble was also in double figures with 11 points.
Tris'styn Williams ended a 6-0 opening run by Indiana Tech with a layup in the paint. Averi Bebble scored an early basket as well, but a 12-2 run by the Warriors gave them an 18-4 lead at the 3:04 mark. Asaria Turman spun in the paint and began a 9-0 run to lift the Cardinals back into the game. Samantha Dorn drilled a triple and Tris'styn Williams and J'May Simmons completed the run with layups. CUAA trailed 23-16 after the 1st.
Tris'styn Williams made a floater to open scoring in the 2nd, starting a 9-2 Concordia run that would tie the game. Averi Bebble capped off the run with a 3-pointer, tying the game 25-25 at the 6:11 mark. Katie Snow converted a layup in the paint and Tris'styn Williams scored inside twice to give the Cardinals their first lead of the game with a 31-27 advantage. Indiana Tech retook the lead with a 6-0 run, but Averi Bebble drilled a triple to put Concordia back on top. However, the Warriors would use a 9-2 run to take a 42-36 lead at halftime.
Tris'styn Williams made a jumper and an old-fashioned three-point play for Concordia's first points in the 3rd. Lindsey Ferrington drove baseline for a reverse layup, cutting the team's deficit to 48-44. Indiana Tech used an 11-4 run to go back up by double digits, but the Cardinals answered with an offensive putback by Tris'styn Williams and an old-fashioned three-point play from Katie Snow. A late baseline drive from Jerrica Neal made the score 60-55 after the 3rd.
Katie Snow knocked down a pair of free throws to begin the 4th quarter. While Snow added another two free throws, Indiana Tech rebuilt a double-digit lead with a 71-60 advantage at the 6:07 mark. Madison Birchmeier cut into the lead with a 3-pointer and Katie Snow added a deep triple, but the Warriors were able to hold on down the stretch and secure the 81-68 win.
Concordia will return home on Wednesday, February 19 for their final regular-season game when the team hosts Madonna in WHAC conference play. Tip-off is set for 6pm.