Alverno shoots down Falcon women 69-50

MILWAUKEE, Wis.-  Alverno College (2-1, 1-0 NAC) served notice to the rest of the NAC women's basketball world that they are a power to be reckoned with for the 2012-13 basketball season. 

The hot shooting Inferno took a seven point lead into halftime and then steadily pulled away from NAC North favorite Concordia Wisconsin (1-2, 0-1), combining precision offense and 48% shooting with a suffocating defensive effort.

"They outplayed us in every facet of the game," said CUW coach Stacey Brunner-Jones. "Alverno wanted it more and worked harder."

The Falcons, who have had trouble hitting shots from the perimeter this season, fired up 29 three point attempts over the Alverno zone, but connected on only nine of those efforts Saturday.

Katie Luethe (Jr./ Oshkosh, Wis.) led CUW with 12 points, but was just 4 of 13 from the field. Camille Parsons (Jr./ Urbana, Ill.) added 11 points while senior teammate Brittany Zietlow (Oak Creek, Wis.) totalled 10 points and five assists while freshman Megan Coenen (Pulaski, Wis.) led CUW rebounders with seven retrievals.

As a team the Falcons hit only 30% of their field goal attempts and 43% of their charity tosses.

By contrast, Alverno's Kristen Speerschneider and Devon Gorman each scored 21 points, collectively hitting a red hot 13 of 24 shots and 13 of 20 free throws.  Gorman also gobbled up a dozen rebounds. The Inferno connected on five of nine 3-point attempts.

Other statistics were fairly even with Alverno holding a 38-37 rebound edge and committing only 11 turnovers compared to 15 for CUW. 

The Falcons host Lakeland on Wednesday at 7:00pm.