MARION, Ind. -- No. 1-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University women's basketball advances to the Crossroads League Semifinals for the 11th straight year with a 78-52 victory over No. 8-seed Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) University Tuesday night in Luckey Arena.

Indiana Wesleyan will host No. 5-seed Huntington (Ind.) University on Friday night at 7 p.m. Huntington beat No. 4-seed Taylor (Ind.) University 69-64 in Upland, Indiana.

"They almost beat us up there, it was a two point game," said Indiana Wesleyan head coach Steve Brooks on the upcoming game with Huntington. "I think our kids will remember that. There is a lot riding on this game, a chance to play on Monday in the championship.  I don't think anyone one of us cared who we got to play to give us a chance to get to Monday."

To get to Friday, Indiana Wesleyan had to put away Mount Vernon Nazarene (8-22). MVNU was quick out of the gate with seven of the game's first nine points. All that changed over the next 12 and a half minutes.

Indiana Wesleyan (29-2) scored the next eight points to gain their first lead of the night at 10-7. That was just the beginning as the 8-0 run stretched into a 39-9 run that culminated in a 41-16 Indiana Wesleyan lead with 5:25 remaining before halftime.

The Wildcats would struggle to score the remainder of the half as they hit just three free throws in the final five minutes of the half. The Cougars could not take advantage as they scored just five points themselves as the Wildcats led 44-21 at halftime.

The shooting woes continued for Indiana Wesleyan as the second half got underway. Mount Vernon Nazarene took advantage with a 14-0 run to begin the half and cut the deficit to 44-35 and 16:09 remaining.

Senior forward Paige Smith hit one of two free throws with 15:36 on the clock for the first Indiana Wesleyan points of the half. The next Mount Vernon Nazarene possession produced a basket to trim the IWU lead to eight points at 46-38. That would be the closest MVNU would get. Indiana Wesleyan used a 26-7 spurt to impose their will once again for a 72-45 lead and 3:24 to play.

"We made it a little bit more interesting than it needed to be," said Brooks about the big MVNU run. "I don't know what happened. I don't know if we just took it for granted that we were just going to come out here and win this game."

"But the fact that we let them get back in it and get it back to eight and then for our kids to say we're done playing around and let's go get it is a good sign," continued Brooks. "But I really don't want them to have to do that."

Smith led all players with 22 points and eight rebounds. She was 8-of-10 from the field and scored 14 second half points.

"Paige was a benefactor of some really nice passes," stated Brooks. "I think Katrina hit her a couple of times and our guards did a nice job of finding her. Paige did a nice job of finishing and that was big, especially in the second half during that stretch when we were up just eight and were able to stretch it back out. She was a major key in that, she would get the ball and she would finish."

Indiana Wesleyan earned assists on 17 of their 24 field goals on the night. Sophomore guard Emma Stahl contributed six while sophomore forward Katrina Blackmon added four.

Junior guard Taylor Goshert finished with 15 points and was 3-of-7 from 3-point range while sophomore forward Teneil Krebs added 12 points off the bench. She was a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc.