Box Score Jan. 24, 2018 - Tonight's women's basketball game at Geiseman Gymnasium brought together the top two teams in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings - the 15-1 (12-0 NACC) Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors, winners of 15 in a row, and the 14-2 (10-2 NACC) Concordia-Chicago Cougars, winners of their last nine games. Something was going to give, and sadly for the home team, it was the Cougars' streak in decisive fashion. The Warriors jumped out to an early lead, and their defense frustrated the Cougars all night long on the way to a 63-44 victory.

Taylor Jacobsen scored the first two points of the game, but WLC's Kelly Tramburg hit on a three seconds later, and the visitors never trailed again after that. Tramburg and Jen Dowden combined for all 20 of the Warriors' points in the first quarter, but Michaela Thornton sparked the home team with 10 points in the quarter including a couple of threes, and the Cougars looked to be back into the game, trailing just 20-17.

It was not to be for the Cougars, however, as Dowden took over the second quarter. The Warriors' forward established herself inside, either scoring on short jumpers or getting fouled and going to the line. Dowden scored 10 in the quarter to bring her first-half total to 21, nearly outscoring the Cougars until a late basket by Courtney Lofink brought the score to 40-22 after 20 minutes.

The first half stat sheet showed WLC shooting 13 for 25 (52 percent) from the field to CUC's 9-25 (36 percent). The Warriors had a 10-point advantage at the foul line (12-2), and the Cougars also hurt themselves with 10 turnovers.

Concordia-Chicago looked to get its offense on track in the third quarter. Lofink scored a couple of early buckets, and Crystal Corr hit a baseline jumper for her first points after sitting out much of the first half because of early fouls. Sophia Leon and T. Jacobsen later added threes, but the Cougars could get no closer than 16, and the Warriors reestablished a 20-point lead at the end of the quarter, 56-36.   

There would be no miracle rallies on this night, as the two defenses produced no scoring for the first 3:40 of the fourth quarter. The Cougars would get to within 15 on a jumper by Maddie Vojacek, but the final minutes ticked away as the Cougars absorbed just their third defeat of the season.

Only two CUC players finished in double figures in the team's lowest scoring output of the season - Thornton with 10 and Lofink with 12 (6-9 shooting); Lofink also recorded four assists and four steals. WLC was led by Dowden's 27 (11-16 FG; 5-5 FT) and Tramburg's 13.

The Cougars will look to bounce back as they head to Mequon, WI for play in the 67th annual Concordia Invitational Tournament. They will get ready for another challenging NACC game as they take on host Concordia University Wisconsin on Friday night at 6:00.