WAVERLY, Iowa-- The No. 2/2 Wartburg women's basketball team (26-0 overall) advanced to the Iowa Conference Tournament Championship game with the 63-46 win over Loras (17-10) Thursday. With the victory, the Knights will host Luther Saturday at 4 p.m. For the second-straight year and third time in four years, the title game will feature these two programs.



In addition, the Orange and Black tied the school record for season wins, previously set in 2000-01.

Seniors Morgan Neuendorf (Plainfield) and Katie Sommer (Cedar Rapids) co-led the team with 15 points. Neuendorf also pulled in a team-best eight rebounds. Sommer tied the program's mark in the Conference Tournament with eight assists. She previously set this record in the games against Buena Vista and Luther last season.

Classmate Aryn Jones (Marion) followed with 14 points.

The Duhawks led 7-6 halfway through the first quarter, but Wartburg scored the next six points to take the 12-7 lead. Loras brought it within one at 12-11 with 7:52 to play in the half, but the Knights quickly pushed the margin to six on a 5-0 run from Sommer by herself. The Orange and Black took the 26-18 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Wartburg increased its lead to 10 just under two minutes into the third quarter and continued to lead by double digits for the duration.

The Knights owned the advantage in field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage. As a team, they limited the Duhawks to .190 from beyond the arc. The Orange and Black led in rebounds (40-32), assists (14-6), blocks (3-0), and steals (7-6).