PELLA, Iowa – Nebraska Wesleyan used a 9-1 run in the final two minutes of the game to pull away from Central College as the Prairie Wolves went on the road and earned an 80-71 victory over the Dutch in IIAC women's basketball action Monday night (Jan. 23) in Pella, Iowa.
 
NWU held a one point advantage at the end of the third quarter and the lead changed three more times before the Prairie Wolves made the late run.  The Prairie Wolves led 68-66 with 2:48 remaining in the game, then NWU got hot from the field.  Morgan Nishida hit back-to-back baskets, Kate Schulte hit a field goal and Caitlin Navratil nailed two free throws to stretch the lead.  NWU got up by as many as 10 points in the final seconds, then earned the nine point win.
 
The Prairie Wolves snapped their 3-game losing streak to get back over .500 at 9-8 overall and 3-6 in the IIAC.  Central drops their seventh straight game to fall to 8-9 and 1-7 in the Iowa Conference.
 
Kate Schulte had a huge game to lead the Prairie Wolves as she poured in a career-high 26 points.  Schulte was 10-15 from the field and 2-5 from 3-point land.  She just missed a double-double with nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan started the game off slow making just 3-15 from the field, but Central only got ahead 12-11 after the first period.
 
The Prairie Wolves shot well over 50 percent from the floor in the second half going 17-31 and 6-15 from 3-point range in the final two periods.  Central was even better shooting in the second half, hitting 64.3 percent in the third quarter and 53.8 in the fourth quarter, but they couldn't keep up with NWU.
 
Besides Schulte's huge game, guard Morgan Nishida also had a season-high in points at 18.  Nishida was 4-8 from 3-point range and added three assists.
 
Caitlin Navratil had 10 points with a game-high eight assists and five steals.  Addie Wetzel also reached double figures with 10 points.