Big Second Half Powers Green Knights Past Ripon

From Sports Information Director, February 24, 2017 | Women's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - St. Norbert College enjoyed a big third quarter to pull away from and defeat Ripon College 70-49 in a Midwest Conference Tournament semifinal game at Cornell College's Multi-Sport Center.

The Green Knights (19-5) outscored the Red Hawks 22-12 in the third quarter to extend a 34-27 halftime lead and lock up a spot in the tournament championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday against Cornell. The Rams defeated Grinnell College 62-47 in the other semifinal.

St. Norbert held a 38-31 lead with 7:28 left in the third quarter before Jill Kleiman and Regan Carmichael drained 3-pointers on consecutive possessions. The triples started a 16-3 run for the Green Knights. Kleiman canned another 3-pointer with 3:37 left in the period for a 49-33 lead. Carmichael then drained a trifecta with 1:36 left in the quarter for a 54-34 advantage.

The Green Knights, who led 56-39 after the third quarter, never led by less than 14 points in the fourth quarter.

St. Norbert and Ripon played to a 14-14 tie after the first quarter. The Green Knights and Red Hawks traded the lead in the second quarter and were tied 27-27 with 2:19 left in the frame. St. Norbert closed out the period on a 7-0 run on a basket by Brianna Byrne, a 3-pointer from Carmichael and another hoop by Byrne for a 34-27 halftime lead.

St. Norbert shot 48.9 percent (23-for-47) from the floor. Carmichael finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Byrne, who became just the sixth player in St. Norbert history to pass 1,200 points during the game, scored 14 points for a career total of 1,208. Kleiman added 11 points.

Ripon shot 34.7 percent (17-for-49) from the floor. Eleanore Mueller led the Red Hawks with 13 points off the bench. Nicole Herkert added 11 points.