Hot-shooting MSOE downs Women's Basketball

MEQUON, Wis. – MSOE shot a blistering 54.5 percent from the field on Tuesday night en route to a 74-70 victory over Concordia University Wisconsin inside the R. John Buuck Field House. The Falcons dropped their second-consecutive Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game in a matter of four days.

THE BASICS
Final Score: MSOE 74, Concordia Wisconsin 70
Location: R. John Buuck Field House (Mequon, Wis.)
Records: MSOE 8-4 (6-1 NACC), CUW 8-3 (5-2 NACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The matchup of teams who entered the game with identical 5-1 NACC records proved to be an exciting battle, as there were 10 scoring ties and 11 lead changes. The difference maker ended up being a pair of Holly Denfield free throws with 16 seconds remaining in the game to give the Raiders a pour-point advantage.
- Senior Megan Coenen (Green Bay, Wis.) scored a layup with 1:04 to play in the contest, which tied the game at 70-70. However, Margaret Pugh answered with a layup of her own to put MSOE back in front with 40 seconds left on the clock.
- On the ensuing possession, the Falcons missed a field goal attempt and was forced to foul. The Raiders' Denfeld sank her two free throws to seal the game.
- CUW shot better in the game than its previous outing, finishing 42.9 percent from the floor, but couldn't slow down MSOE who ended at 54.5 percent. Both teams did their damage in the paint area with a combined 86 points being scored.
- Coenen paced the Falcons with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while sophomore Katelyn Sewall (Menasha, Wis.) added 11 points after draining a trio of long balls.
- Freshman Baylee Barker (Oconomowoc, Wis.) scored a career-high nine points and senior Madelyn Landgraf (Elkhart Lake, Wis.) had eight points. Sophomore Audrey Scharmer (Winona, Minn.) led the rebounding effort with 11.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Falcons bench scored 30 points, which is the fourth time this season the reserves have scored at least that many.
- Neither team led by more than six points, as MSOE was ahead by six points in the fourth quarter and CUW led by four points with four minutes to play in the second quarter.
- MSOE's Margaret Pugh drained the visitor's only 3-pointer – and only attempt – of the game with four minutes to play. Meanwhile, CUW finished 4-of-15 from downtown.

THE OPPOSITION
- Holly Denfeld scored a game-high 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting, while also grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out two assists. She reached the coveted 1,000 point milestone with a layup less than three minutes into the game.
- Lizzy Hilby added 17 points and five rebounds, while Margaret Pugh scored 12 points and Megan Knoll tallied 11 points. Knoll also had four rebounds, six assists and four steals.
- Marly Trier led the Raiders with 10 rebounds, all defensive.

NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
- The Falcons return to the road on Saturday for a 7 pm NACC matchup at Alverno.