Second-half surge leads Vikings to blowout of NIU

The Lawrence University women’s basketball team scored 26 consecutive points in the second half and rolled to a 75-57 nonconference victory over Northland International University on Thursday night at Alexander Gymnasium.

Lawrence (1-5) had two players with a double-double and Amber Lisowe tied her career high with 25 points to pace the Vikings. Katie Schumacher scored 13 points and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds for the Vikings, and Alex Deshler had her fourth double-double in six games this season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Deshler also had a career-high seven steals to go along with five assists.

Lisowe shot 10-for-17 from the floor and added six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block. She matched her career high of 25 points, which she set at Illinois College back on Nov. 25.

Allie Riegel led Northland International (4-4) with 15 points, and Elizabeth Humburg added 14 points before fouling out.

The Vikings led 37-32 at the half, but the Pioneers battled back to take a 50-48 lead on a pair of Miranda Smith free throws with 10:29 remaining in the game.

Deshler responded by draining a 3-pointer from the left wing to give Lawrence a 51-50 lead. That basket started a 26-0 run by the Vikings over the next 8:04. Lawrence went from down two points to leading by 24 at 74-50 once the dust had settled.

Kassidy Rinehart scored seven of her nine points during that stretch, and Lisowe added six points during the run. Northland International went 0-for-12 from the floor and committed four of its 18 turnovers during the decisive run.

Lawrence returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Cornell College in a Midwest Conference game.

Box score