MILWAUKEE – After playing to a first-half tie, the Wisconsin Lutheran College women's basketball team used a 22-4 run to open the second half and defeat Alverno 68-47 on Thursday to extend its winning streak to nine games. The win was also the 22nd straight Northern Athletics Conference win for the Warriors.

The first half was tightly contested as neither team led by more than six points for a majority of the half. Wisconsin Lutheran built a first-half best six-point lead on a couple different occasions including going in front 15-9 with 15:39 remaining in the opening half.

Alverno kept chipping away at the Warriors' lead until it grabbed the advantage at 24-23 with 3:25 to play before halftime. The Inferno built their lead to three points a few times and went up 31-28 with under a minute left, but Shavon Dillon (Milwaukee, Wis./Hope School) scored the final three points of the half to even the score at 31-31 at halftime.

The host Inferno shot the ball extremely well in the first 20 minutes of play as they made 52.2 percent (12-for-23) of their shots. The Warriors connected on 40.7 percent (11-for-27) of their shots from the floor, including 4-for-10 from beyond the arc.

Alyssa Allister (Lake Mills, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) led Wisconsin Lutheran as she went 3-for-6 from beyond the arc for nine first-half points. Dillon also chipped in with seven for WLC. Alverno was led by Alicia Kontowski's eight points before the break.

The Warriors came out after halftime rolling as they went on a 22-4 run to take a commanding 53-35 lead with 10:28 to play. Rachel Johnson (Milwaukee, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) scored eight points during the span and Allister and Rachel Hoft (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) added three-pointers to close out the run.

Wisconsin Lutheran continued to add onto its lead and went up by a game-high 27 points, 68-41, with 2:59 remaining in the contest. Alverno scored the final six points of the game to cut the final margin to 68-47.

WLC clamped down defensively in the second half as it held the Inferno to 14.3 percent (4-for-28) shooting. The Warriors turned up their offense as well by connecting on 58.6 percent (17-for-29) of their shots. Wisconsin Lutheran again won the rebounding battle, 41-31.

Johnson paced the Warriors with a game-high 16 points. The senior forward needs just 15 points to become the next Warrior to reach 1,000 career points. Johnson also grabbed eight rebounds. Allister added 15 points on 5-for-8 from three-point range and Dillon contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.

Kontowski scored nine points for the Inferno (5-13, 2-10 NAC), while Alyssa Jensen added eight points. Kristen Speerschneider pulled down a team-best eight rebounds.

Wisconsin Lutheran (15-3, 12-0 NAC) returns to action Saturday afternoon when it hosts Aurora (2-16, 1-10 NAC) in its annual Winterfest game. Tip-off between the Warriors and Spartans is set for 1 p.m. at the Recreation Complex. Fans unable to attend the game can follow the action live via audio, stats and video at wlcsports.com.