RIPON, Wisconsin – In a game that featured 10 ties and 5 lead changes, the Ripon women's basketball program went cold in the fourth quarter and fell 66-55 to Wheaton on Tuesday night inside Weiske Gymnasium.
 
After Bonnie Jensen tied the game at 55 with 2:12 remaining, Wheaton (5-0) scored the final 11 points of the contest to spoil the home debut for Ripon (1-2).
 
STANDOUT HAWKS

• Senior forward Bonnie Jensen had a team-high 16 points, adding 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
• Junior guard Bella Opelt scored in double figures for the first time this season, amassing 13 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
• Freshman guard Laney Havlovitz netted 12 points on 50% shooting. She also had 4 rebounds.

PLAY-BY-PLAY
Ripon never trailed in the first quarter, leading by as many as six after Opelt hit a jumper with 3:21 left. However, Wheaton scored six of the final eight points of the quarter to trim its deficit to just two after the first 10 minutes of play.
 
The Red Hawks scored the first six points of the second quarter, holding Wheaton scoreless for five and a half minutes before the Thunder got back on the board. After Anna Cunningham made a layup with 38 seconds remaining in the half, Wheaton scored four points in under 30 seconds to tie the game up at 26 heading into the locker room.
 
The third quarter was back and forth once again. After Wheaton grabbed a 37-32 lead, the Red Hawks went on an 8-0 spurt, punctuated by a Bree Miller triple, to regain the lead. With Ripon clinging to a 44-41 lead, Wheaton scored the final four points of the frame to take a slim advantage into the final stanza.
 
Natalie Rauwolf opened the fourth with a three-pointer before Wheaton countered to tie it once again. There were five ties in the fourth quarter alone, and Jensen evened the score for the final time at 55 with 2:12 remaining. From there, the Thunder scored in a variety of ways – including the final six points of the game from the charity stripe – to go on a game-defining 11-0 run and seal the road victory.
 
KEY STATS

• Wheaton shot 42.0% from the field, limiting Ripon to 33.3% shooting – including just 25.0% from the field in the fourth quarter.
• Wheaton scored nearly twice as many points off turnovers as Ripon (18-10).
• Neither team shot particularly well from behind the arc, but the Thunder had a slight edge from deep (27.3% to 23.1%).
• Wheaton was 21 of 25 from the free throw line, while Ripon only attempted 13 free throws and made 10 of them.
• Wheaton had four players in double figures, while Annika Richardson, Caroline Sikkink and Annie Tate each scored 17 points.

UP NEXT
Ripon goes back on the road on Saturday (November 25) for a matchup at Carroll. Tipoff from Waukesha is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
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