LINCOLN, Neb. – Halsey Thomalla poured in 24 points, while Mattea Kassebaum turned in another strong performance with 18 as the Nebraska Wesleyan women's basketball team rolled to a 92-66 victory over Faith Baptist on Saturday afternoon inside Siebens Fieldhouse to close out the Central Bank Classic. Both Thomalla and Kassebaum earned spots on the Classic's all-tournament team.
The Prairie Wolves improved to 2-0 with the win, while Saturday's contest counted as an exhibition for Faith Baptist.
Sharon Greek opened the scoring with the game's first bucket as NWU set the tone early, holding the Eagles to just 14 points in the opening quarter. A three-minute scoreless stretch helped the Prairie Wolves build a 28-14 advantage after the first 10 minutes.
Thomalla took over offensively in the second quarter, scoring 10 points, while Kassebaum chipped in six. The Prairie Wolves continued to build their advantage, carrying a 22-point lead into halftime.
Kassebaum stayed productive after the break, scoring seven points in the third quarter while Jessica Black assisted on two of her baskets. Defensively, NWU again limited the Eagles' opportunities, allowing just 13 points to extend its lead to 70-42 heading into the final frame.
The Prairie Wolves maintained control throughout the fourth quarter, adding 22 points and pulling down 14 rebounds as a team to close out the 92-66 victory.
Thomalla paced the Prairie Wolves with 24 points and eight rebounds. She averaged 10 rebounds per game across the weekend.
Kassebaum followed with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists, marking her second consecutive game in double figures. The transfer from Doane has made an immediate impact in her first season in black and gold.
Fellow transfer Ashlin Jacobsen also reached double figures, finishing with 14 points.
Through the first two games of the season, Nebraska Wesleyan has held its opponents to 58 and 66 points, respectively.
The Prairie Wolves return home Tuesday, Nov. 11, for their home opener against College of Saint Mary. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside Snyder Arena.
