Orange City, Iowa. – Northwestern defeated the Mount Marty basketball team 79-67 on Saturday at the Bultman Center.
In the first quarter, Northwestern faced an early challenge as the Lancers took a lead, highlighted by a 9-2 run within the initial minutes. Despite this, Molly Schany made significant contributions, scoring a jumper and securing a defensive rebound. Ashtyn Wobig added a layup, assisted by Hali Anderson, who also made a key layup at the 6:12 mark. Akaysa Duitscher hit a crucial 3-pointer with 1:25 left, helping to narrow the gap, but Mount Marty maintained their lead with a strong finish, closing the quarter at 20-11.
In the second quarter, the Red Raiders experienced a strong performance, outscoring the Lancers 22-14. Anderson initiated the quarter with a steal and a successful jumper at 9:39, marking an early lead. Allison Piercy significantly contributed with two successful 3-pointers, one at 5:11 and another at 2:16, helping the Raiders close the gap and eventually take a brief lead at 33-31. Despite Mount Marty's attempts, including a 3-pointer to end the quarter, the Raiders maintained a competitive edge throughout, highlighted by their improved shooting and defensive rebounding efforts.
The Raiders outscored the Lancers 24-12 in the third quarter, highlighted by a strong performance from Schany, who contributed with several free throws and a key jumper. At the 7:32 mark, Lexie Van Kekerix made consecutive free throws to push the Raiders ahead by two points, and Anderson scored consistently in the paint, including a crucial layup at 1:08. The team maintained a solid defense, with Wobig and Van Kekerix executing critical steals, helping the Raiders secure an 11-point lead by the end of the quarter.
The Raiders secured a 22-21 advantage in the fourth quarter against the Lancers. Key contributions came from Piercy, who made back-to-back 3-pointers, while Maren Nerem added two free throws early in the quarter. Anderson and Kylie Foss each contributed crucial layups and free throws, with Foss making four free throws in the final minutes.
GAME NOTES
Up Next: The Raiders will finish their home stretch on Wednesday Jan 29th against Briar Cliff at 6 PM.
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
