Cornell’s women’s basketball team couldn’t keep pace with hot-shooting Knox in Friday’s 77-54 semifinal loss at the Midwest Conference Tournament inside Weiske Gymnasium.
Coach Brent Brase’s Rams completed their ninth postseason appearance in 12 years with a 10-14 overall mark.
No. 2 seed Knox (21-5) advances to Saturday’s championship game at 3 p.m. against host and top-seeded Ripon (20-6) for the MWC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The No. 3 seed Rams hung tough with the regular-season co-champions for a half, trailing 36-30 at the break. The Prairie Fire held Cornell scoreless for nearly six minutes to start the third quarter in building a 44-30 lead and didn’t look back.
Senior center Madison Wauters capped a fine career with a game-high 18 points. The four-year starter is the ninth player in program history to accumulate 750 points and 500 rebounds in a career.
Megan Gandrup netted 11 points in her final collegiate game. Kali March had nine points, three assists and two steals. March finished her junior campaign with 83 steals, tying for second-most on Cornell’s single-season list.
The Prairie Fire shot 58.6 percent from the field, including a 7-of-17 touch from 3-point land. Haylee Carpenter hit six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points to spark Knox off the bench.
Cornell committed only nine turnovers. Knox won the battle on the boards, 34-21, and recorded 42 points in the paint.