[Women's Basketball] Mustangs win at 18th-ranked Cardinal Stritch

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- A double-digit halftime advantage turned into a 21-point lead in the second period as the 11th-ranked Mount Mercy women's basketball team cruised to a 65-52 victory over 18th-ranked Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) in the La Quinta Stritch Holiday Classic today.

It's the second straight road win over a ranked team for the Mustangs (9-4), who have won four straight games overall and nine of their last 11. Mount Mercy, which defeated sixth-ranked Grand View in Des Moines on Dec. 3, hit nine 3-pointers to overcome 24 turnovers on Monday. The Mustangs also limited the Wolves (8-5) to just 24.2 percent field goal shooting.

Senior guards Emily Greiner and Micha Mims each hit four treys and finished with 16 points apiece. Greiner became the fourth player in school history to make 200 3-point goals. The school record is 260 by Karen Smith (1991-95). Jessie Dirks (2005-09) is second on the all-time list with 228, followed by Kerri Carpenter (1995-99) with 209 and Greiner with 202. Mims is seventh on that list with 139 career 3-pointers.

Sophomore forward Amanda Frost and senior guards Laura Lippert and Becca Lampe added seven points each for the Mustangs. Junior guard Brooke Quigley grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Greiner, Lippert and senior guard Ashley Koch had six boards apiece. Mims dished out five assists and Greiner had three steals.

Julie Raeder poured in a game-high 22 points for Cardinal Stritch. She also collected eight rebounds and five steals. Michelle Piepenburg and Lisa Lawrence scored seven points and Piepenburg hauled down 10 boards, helping the Wolves to a 41-39 advantage on the glass.

Mount Mercy faces St. Francis (Ill.) on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. on the final day of the La Quinta Stritch Holiday Classic. Then the Mustangs are off until a showdown with intra-city rival Coe on Friday, Dec. 30, at 5:00 p.m. at Eby Fieldhouse in Cedar Rapids.