WAVERLY, IA— A high-scoring battle saw the No. 5/11 Wartburg Women's Knights Basketball squad defeat Luther College inside Levick Arena for an American Rivers Conference (A-R-C), 91-83.
 
The Norse of Luther grabbed 46 boards as the Knights recorded 31 in the contest. The Knights held the Norse to 47 percent from the field, while shooting 49 percent from the field. The Knights and Norse would each land three players in double figures in the contest.
 
The Knights hold a 5-0, 2-0 A-R-C record, while the Norse fall to 3-6, 1-1- A-R-C.
 
Checking out the Numbers
 
Jaedon Murphy led all scorers with 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. Murphy made five shots from behind the arc, while grabbing six boards.
 
Hannah Anderson (5-of-9 FG) and Taylor Runchey (4-of-4 FG, 5-of-8 FT) added 13 points respectively. Runchey and Macy Harris led the Knights in assists, adding five respectively.
 
The Knights shot 32-of-65 from the field, adding 12 three-pointers, and shooting 15-of-25 from the free throw line.
 
The Norse were led by Kristen Elliott on 8-of-13 shooting for 20 points. Megan Miller and Kailey Jones added 13 points respectively. Jones led all players in rebounding, grabbing 13 rebounds as she recorded a double-double for the Norse.  
 
How It Happened
 
The Norse jumped out to a 6-0 lead over the Knights as Miller and Jones got the scoring started. Murphy, on a pass from Harris, hit the opening baskets for the Knights, cutting the deficit to one. Murphy connect with Hannah Anderson on a three-pointer as the Knights took an early 8-6 lead. The Norse's Elliott and the Knights' Natalie Bearbower traded three-pointers as the Norse led the Knights in the first quarter. The Norse would build their lead to 12 at 24-12 with 1:36 remaining in the quarter. Sara Faber started the Knights on a 6-0 run in the final minute of the quarter as the Knights trailed 24-18.
 
In the opening two minutes of the second quarter, the Knights, led by a steal by Harris, went on a 7-2 run to trail by two at 27-25. Murphy tied the game up at 29 as the teams' traded points, and the lead over six minutes. The Knights defense held the Norse without a basket for four minutes, getting the final shot of the first half with 27 seconds remaining in the quarter.
 
With a three-point lead at the break, Anderson and Murphy hit back-to-back buckets as the Knights extended their lead to eight. The Norse held the Knights without a basket for nearly four minutes, as Brea Dillavou hit a layup to tie the game at 48. The Knights and Norse continued to trade the lead as the lead would change eleven times and be tied seven times in the contest. A layup by Runchey tied the game at 65 as the Knights and Norse headed into the fourth quarter of the game.
 
Murphy hit a three-pointer on an assist from Maggie Wilkins gave the Knights a one-point advantage at 70-69 as the Knights took the lead for the final time. The Knights went on a 9-2 run over two minutes as a pair of free throws from Faber gave the Knights an eight-point advantage with 6:33 remaining in the game. The Knights continued the offensive pressure and would make four of the final six free throws, as each team made trips to the line in the final minutes.
 
Knights in the Poll
 
Climbing in the polls, the Wartburg women's basketball rose in the D3hoops.com and Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) rankings.

The Knights, who were ranked No. 10 in the preseason poll, sit at No. 5 after starting the season 4-0. In the WBCA rankings, the Knights sit at No. 11, having previously been at No. 12
 
Last Time Out
 
The No. 5/11 Wartburg Knights women's basketball squad continues their homestand, hosting Westminster College (Mo) on Dec. 4 in a 1 p.m. tip-off.
 
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