MEQUON - St. Norbert College picked up a big win in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference race with a 66-53 triumph over Concordia University Wisconsin at Buuck Fieldhouse.

The Green Knights (8-9, 5-3 NACC) pulled a half-game ahead of Concordia (7-8, 4-3) in the conference standings to move into a tie for fifth place and sit one-half game out of third place.

The two teams traded points early before a Casey Jepson layup with 4:09 left in the first quarter gave the Green Knights a 9-8 lead that they would never relinquish. Macey Mercer connected on a 3-pointer and a Jepson layup late in the first quarter gave St. Norbert a 16-13 lead through the first 10 minutes of action.

St. Norbert led 18-15 early in the second quarter before going on a 12-4 run to take a 30-19 lead midway through the period. Jepson scored the first five points with a trey and layup. Following an Oakley Witteck free throw, Jepson finished at the rim again. Rose Hahn scored a couple of baskets to close the run for the 11-point lead with 5:09 left in the quarter. St. Norbert would hold Concordia scoreless over the last 7:24 of the second quarter to take a 35-19 lead at the break.

The Green Knights saw their lead balloon to 21 points on an Avery Bierowski layup for a 45-24 lead with 5:16 left in the third quarter. Taylor Thiry's conventional three-point play late in the stanza gave St. Norbert a 22-point lead before heading into the final period leading 52-32.

Concordia would whittle its deficit down to 58-49 with 2:11 to go, but Emma Morrisey drained a 3-pointer 30 seconds later to salt the game away.

St. Norbert shot 41.1 percent (23-for-56) from the floor. Jepson came off the bench to lead the Green Knights with 14 points, with Kalina Winslow adding 12 points and Mercer 10 points.

Concordia shot 39.1 percent (18-for-46) from the floor. Aubrey DeBauch paced the Falcons with 22 points.