CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. – Indiana Wesleyan powered past Indiana Tech Saturday afternoon by a score of 80-63 in the first round of the NAIA Championships. The win sends the Wildcats to the Round of 16 in Sioux City, Iowa next week. 


QUICK STATS

• Gabby Suarez tallied 22 points on eight-of-10 shooting, including six-of-seven from downtown.
• Jordan Reid poured in 15 points and dished out four assists.
• Dayton Groninger netted 14 points.
• Anne Secrest pulled down nine boards and had a game-high four blocks.

INSIDE THE BOX

• IWU buried 30-of-60 from the floor, including an outstanding 10-of-22 from downtown. The squad dished out 10 assists and had eight steals.
• The Wildcats forced 15 turnovers while only committing 12. The biggest difference came in points off turnovers – where IWU held a 22-11 advantage.
• Leading 18-15 in the first quarter, Maddie Lawrence hit a jumper, pushing the margin to five. However, IT pulled within two at the end of the stanza.
• Up 34-30 with 2:49 to play in the second stanza, Kelli Damman buried a three-ball off a pass from Dayton Groninger. Groninger hit a field goal off a pass from Gabby Suarez, closing out the first-half scoring with the Wildcats up 39-30. In the first half, IWU had hit 16-of-32 from the floor while Suarez and Groninger led the way with 11 points apiece.
• The Wildcats extended the lead to 12on an old-fashioned three-point play from Jordan Reid just 1:26 into the fourth quarter (42-30).
• Up 48-39, IWU embarked on a 10-2 spurt to take a 17-point lead. During the run, Groninger tallied an old-fashioned three-point play. Reid found Madison Davis for a three-point shot as well.
• The Wildcats extended the lead to 20 with just under eight minutes to go on a Reid field goal and never looked back.

GAME VITALS

• IWU improved to 23-6 on the season.

SERIES HISTORY

• No. 20 Indiana Wesleyan knotted the all-time series at 17-17. The Wildcats also posted a victory on Jan. 2 at No. 11 Indiana Tech.

NEXT TIME OUT

• IWU will play in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday, March 18.

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