FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The top two teams in the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top-25 Poll did battle today in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Host and No. 2-ranked Saint Francis (Ind.) won the marquee matchup 85-76 over No. 1-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University.

The two teams went at it in the first half and neither team led by more than five points in the period. Saint Francis held a five point advantage four separate times, all coming in the first six minutes of the game. The opening stanza witnessed six ties and nine lead changes. The final tie came when USF’s Skylarr Shurn hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into halftime all tied at 34-34.

The key stretch of the game came when Jenelle Wilson drilled a 3-pointer for Saint Francis with 14:22 left in the contest. The 3-point bucket ignited a 12-4 run for Saint Francis to stretch a three point lead into a 56-45 cushion. The 11 point spread was the first double digit lead of the afternoon.

Saint Francis (12-0, 3-0 CL) would lead by as many as 13 points with the last of those leads coming at 71-58 with 4:11 left. Indiana Wesleyan made a small dent into the deficit which was capped by a 3-pointer by Taylor Goshert for a 73-65 score and less than two minutes remaining.

But the Cougars scored the next four points for a 77-65 lead as 1:17 read on the clock. The Wildcats were forced to foul and would get as close as six points at 80-74 but could get no closer.

Goshert finished the day with a career-high 28 points on 9-of-20 shooting. She was 3-of-7 from deep and 7-of-8 from the foul line. She led the team with 10 rebounds for the double-double. Emma Stahl poured in 18 points as she and Goshert were the only Wildcats in double digits.

The key statistic of the game was the efficiency of field goals as Saint Francis shot 57.7-percent (30 of 52) from the floor while Indiana Wesleyan was at 35.3-percent (24 of 68). Indiana Wesleyan was able to take 16 more shots from the field, connected on three more 3-pointers, and both teams hit 23 free throws.

Indiana Wesleyan (9-1, 2-1 CL) also held a slim 39-38 advantage on the boards but did bring down 19 offensive rebounds. IWU committed 12 turnovers compared to 19 for Saint Francis.

The Wildcats take to the road again next week as they compete in the Shawnee State Tournament in Portsmouth, Ohio. Indiana Wesleyan plays at 6 p.m. on Friday night and then at 2 p.m. on Saturday.