Falcons Score Season-High in Win Over Marian

FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The Concordia University Wisconsin women's basketball team returned to conference play with an impressive 78-55 road victory over Marian University on Wednesday night. With the win, the Falcons improve to 3-8 overall and 3-1 in conference play.

The game began as a tightly contested battle, with neither team able to establish a significant lead in the opening minutes. 

Marian held a slight advantage early, but Concordia remained steady. Midway through the first quarter, junior Ava Booth (Plymouth, Wis.) sliced through the defense for a driving layup, cutting Marian's lead to just one point, 8-9. 

However, Marian responded and built a three-point lead, but the Falcons answered with a late 8-0 surge. Senior Aubrey DeBauch (Gillet, Wis.) started the run with a pair of free throws. 

Senior Lindsey Lonigro (Deerfield, Wis.) would then give Concordia the lead with a mid-range jumper, and after a defensive stop, senior Deidre Lassiter (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored in the post. Freshman Kristin Wentling (Arlington Heights, Ill.) capped the run with a basket in the final 45 seconds, giving CUW a 19-14 lead after one quarter.

Riding the momentum from the first period, the Falcons came out strong in the second quarter. Concordia outscored Marian 19-9, extending their lead to 38-23 at the break. 

The Falcons shot a scorching 50 percent from the field (6-of-12) in the quarter, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. 

DeBauch opened the scoring in the second quarter with a layup off an assist from sophomore Jayden Ross (Baraboo, Wis.). A few possessions later, sophomore Gracie McNabb (Grafton, Wis.) grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked it out to senior Liliana Guerra (Yorkville, Ill.), who knocked down a three-pointer to give CUW a seven-point lead. Guerra hit another triple a minute later, followed by a McNabb three-pointer that pushed the lead to 15, 32-17, midway through the quarter. 

Throughout the quarter, the Falcons continued to stifle Marian defensively, limiting their quality looks while extending their lead.

The Falcons carried their dominance into the third quarter, outscoring Marian 21-15 and extending their lead to 59-38 at the end of the quarter.  

Ava Booth began the period with a tough layup through contact, and DeBauch followed with a reverse layup after a slick move to the baseline. Ross added a pull-up jumper from the top of the key, and DeBauch continued her offensive explosion with a driving layup and a pair of free throws. 

Sophomore Andrea Butterbrodt (Green Bay, Wis.) and Wentling also contributed, with Butterbrodt scoring on a layup and Wentling hitting a three-pointer as time wound down. The Falcons held a commanding 21-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final frame, Concordia finished strong. Butterbrodt converted an old-fashioned three-point play to open the quarter, and DeBauch added an and-one layup along with a floater. Lonigro also contributed with a floater in the paint while freshman Alexa Schwartz (Treynor, Iowa) made the most of her minutes, drilling a three-pointer off an assist from senior Abby Hafemann (Hales Corners, Wis.).

The Falcons finished the game with a season-high 78 points, shooting 45.8% from the field (27-of-59) and 85% from the free-throw line (17-of-20). Concordia also shot a season-best 41.2% from beyond the arc, making 7-of-17 three-pointers.

On the boards, the Falcons dominated, outrebounding Marian 43-26, including 13-8 on the offensive glass. CUW also controlled the paint, scoring 34 points in the lane.

For the third consecutive game, Aubrey DeBauch recorded a double-double, finishing with 25 points and 12 rebounds. She was also perfect from the free-throw line, going 9-of-9. 

Ava Booth added 15 points, shooting 5-of-11 from the field, while Guerra and McNabb each hit two three-pointers. Defensively, Booth and Jayden Ross each contributed two steals, while Andrea Butterbrodt and sophomore Kaitlyn Carothers (Columbus, Ind.) each recorded a block.

The Falcons will look to build on their winning streak as they return home to face Benedictine University on Saturday.