Stillman Valley equalized the Big Northern West girls basketball race.

Lutheran has been playing the un-equalizer ever since.

The Crusaders jumped to a huge early lead Tuesday in a 55-45 victory at Winnebago that tied them with Stillman for the BNC West lead.
Since losing their second close game to Stillman Valley two weeks ago, Lutheran (18-5, 5-2) has won three games by a combined 71 points.
That includes jumping to a 27-4 lead against Oregon (14-8, 4-2) and 32-9 against Winnebago (14-8, 4-4) their last two games.

“The Stillman game made us realize we can’t lose another game if we want to win conference,” said sophomore guard Laura Rushing, who scored 24 points, two shy of her season high.

Winnebago knew that, too. The Indians, who won their 12th and last conference title in 2000, had a shot if they could get past Lutheran.

Instead, Rushing and center Lauren McKee combined for 14 first-quarter points to give Lutheran an 18-6 lead — the same first-quarter score the Crusaders had in a 56-44 win over the Indians three weeks ago.

Callie Rezin then scored all eight of her points to begin the second quarter as the Crusaders pushed their edge to 32-9 in a bid to win their first title since they joined the Big Northern six years ago.

“It was a disappointing loss,” said Hayley Thomas, who led Winnebago with 13 points. “We wanted to come out and prove ourselves. We just didn’t come out with the intensity we wanted.

“It’s what happened the last time we played them. We were watching for that this time, but it happened again and there was nothing we could do about it.”

McKee anchored a Lutheran defense that held Winnebago to 24-percent shooting (11-for-45) the first three quarters.

“McKee is so huge for us,” coach Joni Carlson said. “She holds the center so strong.”

Thomas and Austyn Ford (11 points) led a 16-6 run that got Winnebago to within 38-25 midway through the third quarter. But the Indians missed 11 of their next 12 shots and never got closer than nine points.

“We’re happy with the win,” Carlson said, “but we could have finished stronger.”

The win left Lutheran, Stillman and Oregon tied in the loss column. Lutheran and Stillman have three games left and Oregon four.

“It’s still up for grabs — anyone can win conference — but we’re coming together,” Rushing said. “Our defense played great. Nice steals, defending the gaps, fastbreaking, everything.”

-Matt Trowbridge, rrstar.com