Women's Basketball, NWU Renew Rivalry; Tigers Win by 13

CRETE, Neb. — Doane Women's Basketball used a hot second quarter and a balanced scoring effort to pull away from Nebraska Wesleyan on Tuesday night, defeating the Prairie Wolves 76-63 in nonconference action in Crete.

Doane (11-13) led 22-20 after one quarter before flipping the game in the second, outscoring NWU 23-11 behind five made 3-pointers in the period to take a 45-31 halftime advantage. The Tigers pushed the margin to 16 late in the third, then built their largest lead at 19 with 6:02 remaining in the fourth on the way to the 13-point win.

Rylie Rice paced the Tigers with a team-high 19 points, knocking down five 3-pointers while adding 12 rebounds and two steals. Keeleigh Knobbe and Megan Chambers each finished with 16 points as Doane placed four players in double figures. Chambers delivered an efficient night inside on 8-of-12 shooting and 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Knobbe added eight rebounds and a team-best five assists.

Mattea Kassebaum chipped in 14 points with six rebounds, while Ella Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a pair of blocks. Doane won the rebounding battle 47-30 and scored 34 points in the paint to help offset Nebraska Wesleyan's trips to the free-throw line.

Nebraska Wesleyan (4-18, exhibition) was led by Peyton Tritz with 16 points and five rebounds, while Maddie Demke added eight points and two assists. The Prairie Wolves hit seven 3-pointers and shot 90 percent at the free-throw line (18-of-20), but Doane's 10 made 3s and strong work on the glass proved decisive.

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