Dec. 31, 2007

Lutes Beat Knights, Finish Non-Conference Slate With 7-2 Record

Kyle Haag - 17 points

Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore. - Pacific Lutheran wrapped up its non-conference schedule on Monday afternoon with a convincing 65-40 women's basketball victory over the host Warner Pacific College Knights at C.C. Perry Gymnasium.

The Lutes, 7-2 for the season, play their first three Northwest Conference games in the next eight days against the three teams picked to finish atop the conference standings. PLU travels to Newberg, Ore., on Friday for a 6 p.m. game against defending conference co-champion George Fox, picked to win the conference championship. The following night at 6 p.m., the Lutes play in Portland, Ore., against Lewis & Clark, picked to finish in third place. The following Tuesday, PLU travels across town to face Puget Sound, which shared the NWC title with George Fox last year and which coaches picked to finish second this season.

On Monday, the Lutes got out to a quick start behind the hot three-point shooting of Kyle Haag. The senior guard from Tumwater knocked down her first long-range shot of the game to open the scoring, and she hit two more while scoring 15 of her game-high 17 points in the opening half. Pacific Lutheran made 14-of-30 from the field, including 4-of-9 from three-point range, in building a 34-18 halftime lead. At the same time, they limited the Knights to 24 percent shooting in the opening frame.

Though the Lutes cooled off to 43 percent shooting for the game, their tough defense continued to hamper the Knights, who finished with 27 percent accuracy and a total of 22 turnovers. In addition, PLU also dominated in rebounding, 43-34. Point guard Trinity Gibbons led the Lutes with seven rebounds, and she also contributed eight points and five assists.

All 10 players on the PLU roster scored points, led by Haag's 17. Jacque Barton scored nine points to lead Warner Pacific, which is 2-10 this season.

- PLU -