LA CROSSE, Wis. — Indiana Northwest women's basketball continued their strong season with a 71-62 road victory over Viterbo University in a CCAC matchup on Wednesday night. The RedHawks improved to 13-4 overall and 6-3 in conference play, while the V-Hawks dropped to 10-7 and 3-6 in the CCAC.
Indiana Northwest was led by Jessica Carrothers, who scored a game-high 32 points on an efficient 14-of-20 shooting while adding four steals and four rebounds. Carrothers' offensive dominance was key in helping the RedHawks overcome a second-quarter surge by Viterbo and close out the game strong in the final period.
The RedHawks got off to a hot start, scoring 22 points in the first quarter and building a six-point lead. Viterbo responded in the second quarter, outscoring Indiana Northwest 25-13 to take a 41-35 lead into halftime. However, the RedHawks regained control in the second half, holding the V-Hawks to just 21 points over the final two quarters, including a stifling defensive effort in the fourth quarter where they allowed only seven points.
Katelyn Halfacre contributed 10 points and six rebounds, while Ava Kingery added nine points, knocking down three of her four attempts from beyond the arc. Tiara Jackson was a force on the boards, grabbing nine rebounds to go along with eight points.
Viterbo was paced by Lauryn Goettl, who scored 12 points off the bench, and Carly Drew, who added 11 points. Marley Hughes chipped in nine points and five assists, but the V-Hawks were unable to sustain their early momentum against Indiana Northwest's balanced attack and strong defensive effort.
The win sets the stage for a pivotal CCAC matchup on Saturday, Jan. 18, as the RedHawks head on the road to face IU South Bend, who sits tied for first in the conference standings with a 14-2 overall record and a 7-2 mark in CCAC play. Indiana Northwest defeated IU South Bend earlier this season and will look to complete the season sweep.
Recap by PJ Katona
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