Wartburg Women Roll In NCAA Tournament Opener

There was no first-round disappointment for the Wartburg Knights women's basketball team in the NCAA Division III Tournament this year.

The second-ranked Knights moved into the second-round with a dominating, 86-45, victory over unranked Webster at Levick Arena in Waverly Friday night (March 3, 2018).

Wartburg (28-0) led from start-to-finish, after starting the game with a 6-0 run. The Knights owned a 13-4 advantage just seven minutes into the first quarter and led 24-8 after closing the period with a 9-0 run. The margin never got below double-digits after that, as Wartburg led 45-19 at halftime and 62-34 at the end of three.

Five players scored in double-figures for the Knights, who were led by senior Morgan Neuendorf's game-high 19 points. Miranda Murphy followed with 14, twin sisters Katie and Kristie Sommer each tallied 12, and Emma Gerdes added 11.

The Knights made 10 three-pointers against the Gorlocks (20-7), a mark that tied a school record for the most in an NCAA Tournament game. Kristie Sommers made four of the shots from behind the arc, which also tied a Wartburg NCAA record.

Webster's 45 points scored were a season-low for the team. The Gorlocks shot just 29-percent from the floor -- also a season low -- and were dominated by Wartburg on the glass, 44-26.

Wartburg is playing in its third-straight NCAA Tournament, and 13th in program history. The Knights unexpectedly received an at-large selection in 2016 and advanced to their first Final Four. A year ago, Wartburg -- ranked eighth nationally at the time --- was stunned by Chicago in the first-round, 67-63.

UP NEXT: The Knights next play No. 12 George Fox  (25-3) in a second-round game on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Waverly. George Fox beat Saint Benedict, 79-63, in the opening game of Friday's doubleheader at Wartburg (Updated Bracket).

Courtesy: Wartburg Knights via YouTube