Box Score BILLINGS, Mont. – Caelyn Orlandi scored a game-high 29 points and Megan Risinger grabbed 18 rebounds to go along with eight points as the LCSC women's basketball team defeated Bethel 69-58 Friday to advance to the Elite Eight in the NAIA National Tournament.
 
With the win, LCSC also tied the school record with their 33rd win of the season, to go along with just one loss. The No. 1 seed in the Duer Bracket will take on the No. 2 seed Westmont on Saturday at 5 p.m. for a chance to reach the final four.

The start to the first quarter was a tight game for the first three minutes. After that, the Warriors went on a 10-0 run to close out the half. Risinger tallied eight of her 18 rebounds in the first quarter as she scooped up anything that missed. She outrebounded Bethel 8-7 in the quarter. Her 18 rebounds on the night were also a career-high.

"I really thought the difference in this game was our defense and our ability to control the defensive boards," head coach Brian Orr said."Megan had a career night rebounding the ball. There is such little time to prepare for any opponent, so Plan A was to extend our matchup zone and we were able to force them to take a lot of deep threes."
 
Jossilyn Blackman added a bucket in the second to increase their lead to 17-4. The offense woke up for the Wildcats though and matched the offensive output with the Warriors. They ended the half with a triple to bring the deficit back down to 11.
 
The double-digit lead the Warriors held for most of the game was brought down to six points in the third to put pressure on LCSC. But again, the Warriors responded with a 5-0 run to bring the lead back to 11.
 
Bethel, though, would not go away, rallying in the fourth to bring their deficit back down to five with 7:41 in the game. They started the fourth on a 6-0 run.

"They went inside a lot more the second half to keep it close," Orr said. "But in the end we were able to get enough stops. Offensively we were inconsistent, but Caelyn put us on her shoulders and made some big shots when we needed it. It wasn't perfect, but we are happy to get the win."
 
Just like they did the whole game, the Warriors responded and held on to seal the deal.
 
LCSC shot 40.3 percent from the floor but only 34.6 from deep.
 
A win on Saturday would not only give this Warriors team the record for most wins in a season, but it would mean a Final Four appearance for the first time in Orr's tenure as head coach. The Warriors went to the Final Four in the 2002, as they finished third.