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Gustavus Women’s Basketball Reaches Sweet 16 with a Thrilling Victory
SAINT PETER, Minn. – The No. 5 ranked Gustavus women’s basketball team made history by advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second time ever, securing a hard-fought 56-50 victory against No. 12 Wartburg (Iowa) during the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 8, at Gus Young Court.
After trailing 45-41 with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Gusties rallied back with an impressive 15-5 run, led by the outstanding performance of Emma Kniefel (5th, Medford, Minn.), who scored eight pivotal points during this decisive stretch. This win marks the Gusties’ first trip to the Sectional Semifinals since the 2017-18 season.
Head Coach Laurie Kelly expressed her pride in the team’s resilience after the victory, stating, “This is why you do it. The harder it is, the better it is. When push came to shove, we stepped up and made big plays.”
Kniefel showcased her skills in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points while shooting flawlessly from the field (3-for-3) and from the free-throw line (4-for-4). Kylie Baranick (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) ignited the Gusties’ final scoring surge with a crucial three-pointer that reduced Wartburg’s lead to just one point.
Gustavus (28-1, 17-1 MIAC) dominated the early stages, leading 31-26 at halftime while capitalizing on 14 turnovers from Wartburg to score 15 points. Both teams exhibited strong shooting in the first half, each shooting over 40 percent; however, Gustavus gained the edge with six offensive rebounds and a flawless start at the free-throw line.
Although Wartburg (26-3, 16-0 A-R-C) outscored the Gusties 13-7 in the third quarter, forcing six turnovers and holding Kniefel scoreless to take a narrow one-point lead into the final period, Gustavus defended fiercely in the last ten minutes. They executed critical stops and converted nine points off four steals from Wartburg to secure the win.
The Gusties finished the game shooting 20-for-50 (40 percent) overall, though they struggled from beyond the arc, landing only 2-for-11 (18.2 percent). In contrast, Wartburg shot 41 percent (16-for-39) from the field and 43.8 percent (7-for-16) from three-point range.
Leading the scoring, Kniefel added another 20-point performance to her resume, going 7-for-15 from the field. Baranick contributed 12 points, while Izzy Quick (5th, Brooklyn Park, Minn.) added eight points along with four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Syd Hauger (5th, Springfield, Minn.) was a defensive powerhouse with five offensive rebounds and four steals, while Rachel Kawiecki (Sr., Richfield, Minn.) led all players with eight total rebounds.
The Gusties are set to travel to Brunswick, Maine, for their Section Semifinal matchup against McMurray (Texas), who advanced to the Sweet 16 after defeating Texas Lutheran 66-63 on Saturday night. The No. 2 Bowdoin (Maine) will host the tournament over the next two rounds, facing No. 8 Smith (Mass.) in the second of two games scheduled for Friday, March 14. The Gusties’ game is set to tip-off at 4 p.m. CST, with hopes of moving on to the Elite 8 the following day, March 15.
