SIOUX CITY, Iowa. — Indiana Wesleyan hit 8-of-19 from 3 and 90 percent of its 10 free throws to turn away a Campbellsville bid to earn a spot in the semifinals of the NAIA National Championship at the Tyson Events Center.

The Wildcats were 71 percent from behind the arc in the first quarter that helped them build a 23-16 lead at the first stop. The Lady Tigers chipped away at that lead, and thanks to a 7-0 run near the end of quarter two, they trailed by only six at half, 37-31.

Lauren Lee and Madison Sheppard hit back-to-back buckets and Sammy Rogers drained a 3 at the 2:08 mark to pull CU to within 33-31 before the Wildcats closed with a 4-0 run.

Dayton Groniger led the Wildcat attack at intermission with 14 points, hitting three 3s. She ended the game with 23, including 4-of-7 from behind the arc. Jordan Reid and Anne Secrest joined Groniger in double figures with 12 and 11, respectively.

Campbellsville took care of the ball with only four turnovers after two quarters, but connected on only 35 percent of its shots. The Lady Tigers turned it over nine times in the second half leading to 14 IWU points.

In the third quarter IWU (25-6) went ice cold and Campbellsville went on a 13-4 run to take a 44-41 lead into the fourth quarter. Senior Savanah Gregory scored six points during the run and ended the game with a team-high 14 points.

Indiana Wesleyan found their shooting eye in the fourth quarter and turned that three-point deficit into a 53-46 lead with 4:50 left in the game. The IWU rally was highlighted by a 4-point play by Groniger, who was fouled on a made 3. The Lady Tigers went six minutes without a point in the final stanza.

Campbellsville's only other senior, Sammy Rogers, ended up with 13 points and six boards. Gregory led the team with nine rebounds.

The loss ends Campbellsville's pandemic-shortened season at 20-3.