MARION, Ind. - No. 13 Indiana Wesleyan held off University of Saint Francis' late run to hold on to a 81-70 victory this afternoon.  Four Wildcats found themselves in double figures.

 

THE ESSENTIALS

 

• Location: Hutzell Athletic Center | Fort Wayne, Ind. | 
• Records: IWU - 9-2, 3-1 | USF - 5-5, 2-2 - 
• NAIA Top-25 Ranking: IWU - 13 | USF - NR
• History: IWU on nine game winning streak
• Follow Athletics (@IWUWildcats): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
   

WHAT HAPPENED

 

• Lilli Frasure and Klair Merrell fueled a 7-0 run to end the 1st quarter
• Wildcats started the second quarter on a 10-3 run, leading by as much as 15 points in the first half.
• Cougars didn't score a field goal until the 4:59 mark in the third quarter. Up to that point, all six of their second half points were free throws as the Wildcats lead grew to 15.
• Late push by the Cougars saw them pull within seven points before the Wildcats sank five free throws in the final minute of the game to hold off the Cougars surge.

 

NOTABLE NUMBERS

 

• 17 of 20 - points scored by Merrell and Frasure in the first quarter of play
• 50% - Wildcats connection from long distance with 10 made 3's
• 26 - Frasure's new career-high points scored
• 1 - Rylie Parker charge changed momentum in the second quarter
• 47 - fouls called throughout the contest

 

KEY WILDCATS

 

• Frasure poured in a new-career high with 26 points.
• Kelli Damman posted her second 20+ game in a row connecting on 5-6 from the arc.
• Jade Nutley and Merrell followed in double-digits with 12 and 11 points respectively.

   

WHALEY PERSPECTIVE

 

• "It was gutsy and that's kind of what we challenge, flu is going around little bugs and injuries but we are 11 games in now and we got bumps and bruises like everyone else has. We just played with more guts today. We needed Jade Nutley to step up today and she did, man she played with force at times. Klair Merrell stepped up big filling in the starting lineup and started us off with a huge there. Baylie VanDyke took on a tough defensive assignment and did a great job. It was a gutsy win for us today."

   

NEXT TIME OUT

 

• Wildcats head to Georgetown, Kentucky for some non-conference play against Georgetown College on Thursday December 9.  Tip off is scheduled for 6pm.

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