TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University women's basketball team reduced a 20-point deficit to a single possession late in the fourth quarter but it wasn't enough on Monday night as visiting Concordia University (Texas) escaped Olson Gymnasium with the 66-59 victory.
 
The visiting Tornados (2-3) ripped off 14 consecutive points in the third quarter, installing a 54-34 advantage with 53 seconds left in the period. An Emi Wada layup and a Kate Wooten buzzer beating three from almost the entire length of the floor whittled the gap to just 15 heading into the fourth. 
 
An Ashley Akamine layup with 5:05 remaining closed the gap to single digits. PLU (1-4) kept plugging away with Kasidy Javernick and Sydney Reisner combining to score seven straight points, including a Reisner bucket with 1:50 left to make it a three-point game. The Lutes had a chance to tie the game with 47 seconds left but misfired on a three while Concordia hit a pair of free throws and did just enough to scrape out the win. 

ICYMI ????

Kate Wooten half court BUZZER BEATER to end the 3Q??#GoLutes @pluwbb pic.twitter.com/2g7w5AGvMn

— PLU Athletics (@golutes) November 26, 2024

 
The visiting Tornados got off to a fast start, scoring the game's opening six points. Reisner drained a three to get the Lutes on the board and scored nine of PLU's opening 11 points, including a three the old fashioned way with 2:22 remaining in the first quarter, giving the Lutes their first and ultimately only lead of the night at 11-10. 
 
Concordia responded with the final six points of the quarter, enjoying a 16-11 edge after 10 minutes of play.
 
The Tornado lead increased to a dozen early in the second before the Lutes used an 8-0 run over a five-minute stretch to claw back within four. A Reisner three sparked the rally with a Taylor Schmidtke bucket making it 25-21 with 2:42 left before the half. Concordia finished the half with a bang, scoring seven of the final eight points to take a 32-22 edge into the intermission.

Pacific Lutheran got buckets from 10 different players with Reisner leading the way with a season-high 20 points. Emi Wada had eight points with Akamine and Wooten both adding seven. Javernick and Stacie Spahr led PLU on the glass, each hauling in seven rebounds.

"The story of the game was turnovers. We dominated the glass and shot the ball well but you can't win when you don't take care of the ball," said Head Coach Lee Aduddell. 

"We have to put a full game together, and we'll keep working to do so."

PLU crushed Concordia on the glass, enjoying a 44-23 rebounding edge, including a 16-3 discrepancy on the offensive end but were sabotaged by turnovers with 28 on the night. The Lutes outshot the Tornados, shooting at a 40.3 percent clip (25-for-62) to Concordia's 39.3 percent (22-for-56). 
 
The Lutes are back on the hardwood on Friday with a post-Thanksgiving showdown against Nebraska Wesleyan University in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. (Mountain Time).