STORM LAKE, Iowa (Dec. 10, 2022) - Sophomore McKenna Cone scored a game-high 22 points, Lindsey Anhalt followed with a career-high 16, and Vanssa Hamlett added 14, but it wasn't quite enough in the end as Luther College held off the Buena Vista women's basketball team, 76-72, inside of Siebens Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.

The score was tied 17-17 after one quarter and was back-and-fourth throughout the second with senior Vanessa Hamlett hitting a running floater just inside the three-point line as time expired to cut the Luther lead to 39-37 at the half. The Norse built the largest lead of the game at 57-48 with 1:43 left in the third quarter before the Beavers used a 6-0 run to close the period and make it a three-point game. Senior Emily Newton buried a three-point shot to give BVU its largest lead of the game at 68-62 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Beavers then went cold from the field down the stretch, and Luther used a big 10-0 run to regain the lead for good with just under two minutes left in regulation

BVU got the ball back inside of a minute to play with a chance to tie but turned the ball over leading to a foul. Luther would then connect on all four of its free-throw opportunities inside the final 45 seconds. Whitver made a shot just before the end of regulation, but it was too-little-too-late.

Cone was 8-of-16 shooting from the field for the Beavers, making two of the team's five three-point makes on the day, while also sinking 4-of-6 from the charity stripe. Anhalt was 5-of-10 from the floor and made all six free-throw shots to surpass her previous career-high in points set on December 1 of last season against the University of Dubuque. 

Hamlett did a bunch of her scoring at the free-throw line, making 6-of-8 attempts. She also matched freshman Danika Demers for the team-lead with eight rebounds.

As a team, the Beavers had another strong performance at the charity stripe, making 21-of-26 (80.8 percent), including 11-of-12 in the second half. They finished the game shooting just less than 36 percent from the floor.

Jordan Rubie scored 16 points to lead four players in double figures for the Norse (7-3, 3-1 A-R-C). Lizzie Kauls added 15 points and 12 rebounds with Mega Miller also turning in 15 points.

Buena Vista is now 5-6 overall (1-3 A-R-C) and will have the week off for finals before taking the court again on Friday, December 16, at home against Martin Luther College. Tip-off inside of Siebens Fieldhouse is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.