LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Wesleyan outscored Westminster by eight points in the fourth quarter and withstood three potential game-tying shots inside the paint as the Prairie Wolves defeated the Blue Jays 83-81 in women's basketball action on Tuesday night (Nov. 19) at Snyder Arena.
 
It was a historic statistical night for the Prairie Wolves with senior guard Caitlin Navratil recorded the program's first ever triple-double.  Navratil scored 26 points with a career-high 13 rebounds and career-high 10 assists.  Last week's conference women's athlete of the week continues to prove why she is a NCAA III Preseason All-American.
 
Things looked bleak for the Prairie Wolves in the 4^th quarter trailing 76-66 with 5:07 to play in the game.  NWU still trailed by nine points with 3:15 left in the game before they made a fierce rally.
 
Mikenzie Delgado drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to six, then Navratil went coast-to-coast after grabbing a rebound converting a layup making it 79-75 with 2:38 to play.  Another Westminster turnover gave the Prairie Wolves the ball back and freshman McKenzie Teten drove down the lane making a layup to make it a two-point game.
 
At the other end, Westminster missed a 3-pointer and Navratil pulled down the rebound.  She drove the ball all the way to the other end and made the layup while drawing the foul to tie the game.  She converted the old fashioned 3-point play giving NWU their first lead since the 3^rd quarter.
 
Westminster quickly got the lead back on a basket from Reese Arnold at the 1:21 mark.  With under one minute to play, Teten found an open Delgado on the baseline and she drained a jump shot to put NWU ahead 82-81.  Westminster missed their shot attempt and were forced to foul Navratil with 25 seconds left.  Navratil made only 1-2 at the free throw line giving NWU a 83-81 advantage.
 
The Blue Jays had three shot attempts, all inside the paint, but none of them would fall and eventually Drewann Edwards corralled the final missed shot to secure the victory.
 
NWU led by as many as nine points in the second half in a game that changed hands 11 different times.  Both teams used full court pressure defense to force a combined 51 turnovers in the game.  The Prairie Wolves scored 31 points off Blue Jays turnovers, but still committed 28 of their own.
 
3-point shooting was the big difference for Westminster, hitting 12-26 from behind the arc as they drove the lane and kicked to wide open perimeter shooters.  Reese Arnold scored 22 points, making 5-8 from 3-point range, to lead the Blue Jays.  Mikalyn Callahan had 18 points and nine rebounds, with Jackie Arnold coming off the bench for 17 points.
 
Navratil was the story of the game once again for the Prairie Wolves, but two other NWU players did score in double figures.  Playing 39 of 40 minutes, Navratil was 8-14 from the field, 8-11 at the free throw line and 2-4 on 3-pointers.  Her rebound and assist totals were both career-highs and she was one assist from tying the school record of 11 that was set in 1993.
 
Delgado scored 17 points, including 10 points in the 4^th quarter making 4-4 field goal attempts in the final period.  Teten came off the bench to score 11 points and grab four steals.    Sierra Roseby was 3-5 off the bench for eight points and Jazmine Glenn scored seven points with five steals.
 
NWU will now prepare for their first road trip of the season heading to Colorado this weekend for a pair of games against Colorado College and Johnson & Wales.