McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Pacific Lutheran shot 23.8 percent for the game as the Lutes fell to Linfield 79-53 in Northwest Conference women's basketball action Saturday evening at Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
One day after defeating Willamette on a buzzer-beater layup by Megan Abdo, the Lutes' junior point guard made four of her six three-point attempts to record a team-best 18 points. Taylor Talen added 10 for the Lutes, who recorded a season-low 23.8 percent overall shooting mark (15-of-63) after making only six of 37 shot attempts in the second half (16.2 percent).
Dani Krier posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Jessica McMillan scored 18 and Genna Hughes added 10 for the Wildcats. Linfield shot 58.1 percent in the second period to finish the day at 52.5 percent overall (31-of-59).
Linfield scored the first six points of the game before a three-pointer by Madison Green-Hayward got the Lutes on the board. A three-pointer by Abdo helped bring PLU even closer before a layup by Lacey Nicholson tied the score at 8-8. PLU actually continued the run with six more points to use a 14-2 run that gave the Lutes the six-point lead.
Linfield tied it back up at 16-16, with the final tie of the night coming at 23-23 following a layup by Jori Hall. The Wildcats proceeded to score the next 10 points to take a 33-23 lead late in the period, while the Lutes scored the final four points of the period on free throws by Tayler Flemming and Green-Hayward to trail 33-27 at the break.
The Lutes scored the first four points of the second period to pull within two at 33-31 following another three by Abdo, but Linfield scored the next eight points to push its lead back to double-digits. PLU hung close for the next eight minutes, drawing as close as five back at 52-47 midway through the period following a layup by Sarah Barnes. But the Lutes made only one more basket the rest of the way, as Linfield closed the game on a 27-6 run to claim the win.
PLU falls to 5-18 overall and 2-12 in conference play, while Linfield improves to 10-13 overall and 4-10 in the NWC. The Lutes head home for their final games of the season next weekend, hosting Whitworth on Friday at 6 p.m. and Whitman on Saturday at 4 p.m.
