Pride top Mustangs on go-ahead triple from Norris

DUBUQUE, Iowa - On a night where the game felt like an opening act to a post-game celebration, the Clarke University women's basketball team reminded all spectators in a packed Kehl Center that they are the main attraction in an 87-84 victory over Mount Mercy University on Wednesday night.

With the 2022-23 NAIA Championship team to be honored by receiving their Championship rings later in the evening, the Pride and Mustangs played a knock-down, drag-out, back-and-forth slugfest that saw Taylor Norris drain a go-ahead three pointer with exactly three seconds left as the game-winning bucket.

Norris scored all 23 of CU's bench points in 24 minutes played as she finished 9-of-17 (52.9%) from the field and 5-of-11 (45.4%) from three point range while adding four assists, three rebounds, and three steals.

After MMU tied the game with a layup from Malie Marfil off of a nice backdoor cut and pass from Madison Skelton, Clarke would call a timeout and advance the ball to run a set where Nicole McDermott would have ball in her hands, driving to her right, she kicked the ball out to Norris who caught and shot in rhythm to hit her fifth three pointer of the game.

Skelton triggered the game-tying play while being the hottest hand in the gym on both sides, finishing with a game-high 30 points on 11-of-18 (61.1%) shooting as she went 5-for-6 (83.3%) from three point range as she didn't miss a shot from the field until fairly early in the second quarter and only missed two shots in all of the opening 20 minutes.

Since the shot from Norris didn't end the game in that moment, Mount Mercy would have one more possession to try and hit their own three to tie the game but the inbounds pass couldn't even be completed, being tipped and stolen by Mya Merschman to finish off CU's 15th victory to start the 2023-24 season.

The opening quarter had a plenty of action that saw the Pride lead by as many as six early at 17-11 but Mount Mercy would answer to finish the 4:43 of the quarter 15-4 and lead 26-21 heading into the second quarter where they would continue to lead until the 6:38 mark in the third quarter as CU used a 15-5 run over the opening 4:15 of the third quarter to go from trailing 45-38 at halftime to lead 53-50.

Taylor Haase and McDermott were forced to be reckoned with, both finishing with double-doubles as Haase led the team with 24 points while adding a game-high 12 rebounds while McDermott finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds as she added four assists and two steals to close out the night.

For the Mustangs, Madison Dreckman and Annika Headington both finished in double figures as Dreckman struggled from the field at 5-for-14 (35.7%) but still scored 15 and led MMU with eight rebounds and Headington had 14 points on 6-of-9 (66.7%) shooting with three rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Clarke will remain at home for their Saturday afternoon matchup against Peru State College with a 12:00 p.m. CT scheduled tip in the Kehl Center against the Bobcats.