FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The Falcons rallied in the final game of the regular season on Wednesday night at Marian, closing the year on the second-longest winning streak in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) with a 62–52 victory.
The opening quarter belonged to the Sabres, who grabbed an early lead and never relinquished it in the quarter. Marian pushed its advantage to nine on two occasions and carried a 19–10 lead into the first break.
An early layup by the Sabres gave them their largest lead of the night to begin the second quarter, but the Falcons stormed back and used an 11–2 run over the final five minutes of the half to take a 29–28 lead into the locker room. The comeback effort showcased CUW's balance, with six of seven players scoring in the second quarter.
The third quarter turned into a back-and-forth battle that featured five lead changes. Marian held a 13–7 scoring edge in the frame and entered the fourth quarter with a 41–36 lead.
The Blue and White responded with an offensive surge to open the final period, quickly erasing the deficit with a 7–0 run in the first two minutes capped by a three-pointer from freshman
Isabela Gunderson (Waukesha, Wis.). Marian tied the game on the ensuing possession with a second-chance layup, but it was all Falcons from there.
CUW scored the next five points to create separation and kept the Sabres at bay down the stretch. A pair of free throws from junior
Andrea Butterbrodt (Green Bay, Wis.) capped her 19-point night and gave the Falcons their largest lead at 62–52.
Butterbrodt led the way with 19 points and 12 rebounds, recording the Falcons' first double-double of the season and the third of her career. She scored 11 points from the free-throw line and filled the stat sheet with three assists, two steals and a block. Her 12 rebounds marked the best single-game rebounding performance by a Falcon this season.
Sophomore Kirstin Wentling (Arlington Heights, Ill.) added a game-high five assists in the win, while the Falcons controlled the glass with a 42–37 rebounding advantage.
CUW now turns its attention to the NACC Tournament and awaits its opponent. The Falcons could finish as high as tied for sixth place, tied with Edgewood, with the conference's point system determining the tiebreaker. If Edgewood defeats Illinois Tech, CUW will be either the seventh or eighth seed. In that scenario, the Falcons would be seventh if Lakeland beats Concordia Chicago, and eighth if Concordia Chicago wins. Wisconsin Lutheran currently sits in first place, with St. Norbert in second and Aurora in third heading into the tournament.
