Indiana Wesleyan women’s basketball has become a perennial national championship contender and again reached the season’s final game.
But the Wildcats fell behind early and couldn’t regain ground in an 82-73 loss to Dordt University (Iowa) on Tuesday, denying IWU (34-3) of its third NAIA national championship Tuesday in Sioux City, Iowa. It was the third time in four seasons IWU won at least 30 games. IWU’s last national title appearance was in 2013, when it went 35-3 and beat Davenport (Mich.). The Wildcats went 38-0 on their way to the 2007 national championship.
Dordt (35-2) stretched a three-point lead after the first quarter to 14 by halftime and to 20 entering the fourth quarter. The Wildcats were 6 of 28 (21.4%) in the second and third quarters combined after starting 6 of 11 in the first. They made a comeback bid in the fourth by finding their footing, shooting 75% from the floor, making 5 of 8 3-pointers and all six free throws. IWU also had 17 turnovers, but it only led to six points.
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Dordt shot a blistering 30 for 49 (61.2%) and only attempted 10 3-pointers as it built a 42-18 edge in points in the paint. It also made 18 of 27 free throws, but was efficient in the fourth quarter with a 10-for-13 clip.
Maddie Lawrence, a graduate forward from Winchester, scored a team-high 17 points to lead IWU, which had four scorers in double figures. Others included Jade Nutley, of Madison, who scored 15 points off the bench on 6 of 8 shooting, Taylor Folkema (13 points) and Emily Mattingly (10 points), who played at Evansville Reitz.
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The Wildcats won their first 23 games of the season before losing 64-56 to Saint Francis University on Feb. 8. Two weeks later, Marian beat IWU 92-84 in overtime. But the Wildcats avenged that loss to win 64-58 and win the Crossroads League Tournament. IWU won its first four games of the national tournament by an average margin of victory of 23.3.
It then won its semifinal 70-69 over Briar Cliff University (Iowa), and Mattingly played a key role. She scored five points in the fourth quarter, with timely baskets after Briar Cliff had cut IWU’s lead to one. IWU trailed by one with two minutes left but built a comfortable five-point lead with six seconds remaining.
IWU had 11 players from the state of Indiana, including Westfield grad Ellie Kelleher. Leading scorer (18.1 ppg) and rebounder (7.6 rpg) Lilli Frasure played at North Judson in high school.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Wesleyan women’s basketball denied third NAIA national championship
