BELLEVILLE, Ill. – For the ninth straight season, the William Woods University women's basketball team has won 20 games in a season. This year the 20th win came in the AMC Quarterfinals as the Owls defeated No. 24 Lindenwood University-Belleville, 70-62. With the win the Owls advance to the AMC Semifinals on Friday, March 3rd.
 
Junior Jasmine Brown led the Owls with 17 points in the contest on 6-of-9 shooting. Kaycee Gerald and Kelsey Scherder followed with 12 points each. Brown led the Owls with nine rebounds in the contest. WWU held the Lynx to shoot 37 percent from the floor.
 
The Owls return to action on Friday, March 3rd when they travel to Henderson, Tennessee to face top seed Freed-Hardeman University. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
 
Game Flow
Meeting for the third time this season, the Owls and Lynx were locked in a tight battle as both teams traded buckets to start the contest. After a Jasmine Brown field goal and a pair free throws by April Gebke, the Owls led 8-4. After taking the four-point lead, the Lynx went on a 11-2 run taking a 15-10 lead over the Owls. WWU scored the next six points taking a 16-15 lead. At the end of the first quareter the Owls and Lynx were tied at 16-16.
 
The Owls came out in the second quarter and grew its lead to 26-18 after a Kendra Vaughan three-pointer with 6:39 left in the half. Lindenwood-Belleville slowly started to come back as Brianna Mueller knocked down a three cutting the Owls lead down to three, 28-25. Late in the first half, the Owls scored five straight taking a 33-25 lead but the Lynx answered trimming the lead down to four, 33-29, at halftime.
 
Lindenwood-Belleville came back and tied the game at 33-33 over the first minute of the second half. Candace Niemerg and Alison Webb recorded baskets for the Lynx. After trading baskets and finding the game tied at 35-35, the Owls went on a 10-0 run taking a 10-point lead. During the run, Kaycee Gerald and Kelsey Scherder hit a three-pointer. WWU continued to hold onto its lead but the Lynx slowly started to close the gap and had the Owls lead down to six, 50-44, with 2:35 left in the half. WWU continued to hold onto the lead and after three quarters of play the Owls led 53-47.
 
Opening the fourth quarter, the Lynx continued to battle and trimmed the Owls lead down to two, 54-52. The game would remain close and the Lynx would tie the game at 56-56 after a jumper by Niemerg with 6:36 left in the game. After tying the game, Lindenwood-Belleville took the lead at and stretched it to four points, 60-56, with 5:20 to play in the contest. Over the final 5:20 of the quarter the Owls defense picked up as they held the Lynx to two points for the remainder of the came and scored 12. WWU regained the lead on a jumper by Brown with 2:45 left in the contest. After Browns jumper the Owls did not trail again and the Owls came away with a 70-62 victory.
 
By the Numbers
9 – This is the ninth straight season the Owls have won 20 games
40.0 – WWU shot 40.0 percent in the contest
17 – Jasmine Brown led the Owls with 17 poitns in the contest
3 – The Owls had three players score in double figures
16 – William Woods dished out 16 assists in the contest
6 – WWU only committed six turnovers in the contest
11 – William Woods forced the Lynx into 11 turnovers
7 – The Owls hit seven three-pointers in the contest
75.0 – WWU hit 75 percent for the free throw line