TACOMA, Wash. – A 14-2 run in the 4^th quarter pulled Nebraska Wesleyan within six points in the final minutes but it was a little too last as Puget Sound defeated the Prairie Wolves 77-69 in the 2016-17 season opener for the NWU women's basketball team Friday night (Nov. 18) in Tacoma, Wash.
 
The Prairie Wolves trailed by 18 points at 69-51 with 6:06 remaining the game when they made on final push.  Over the next four minutes, NWU outscored UPS by 12 points to make it 71-65 after Caitlin Navratil made a basket at the 1:26 mark.  Puget Sound responded with a basket, but NWU answered right back on a pair of free throws by Kate Schulte.
 
With the score 73-67 and 33 seconds left Puget Sound went 1-2 at the free throw line giving the ball back to the Prairie Wolves trailing by seven.  NWU couldn't convert on the other end as UPS added another free throw to go back up eight which was too much to overcome.
 
NWU trailed by just four points after the first quarter 22-18, but the second quarter was a struggle for the Prairie Wolves offense.  Nebraska Wesleyan shot 4-16 from the floor in the second quarter as Puget Sound led 45-31 at halftime.  They extended the lead to 16 points after three quarters as the Prairie Wolves shot only 25 percent in the 3^rd quarter.
 
In the 4^th quarter the Prairie Wolves outscored UPS 26-18, but it proved to be to late.
 
Newcomer Kate Schulte had a big day in her debut for the Prairie Wolves.  Schulte just missed a double-double with 24 points and nine rebounds playing 39 total minutes in the game.  The other NWU player in double figures was freshman Caitlin Navratil who came off the bench to score 15 points with six rebounds.
 
NWU actually outshot Puget Sound making 38.3 percent compared to 37.8, but it was turnovers that were a difference in the game.  The Prairie Wolves committed 23 total turnovers, compared to 13 for Puget Sound.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan will close out their west coast trip on Saturday against Pacific Lutheran.