DE PERE - St. Norbert College got off to a hot start and then relied on its defense to pull away late as the Green Knights posted a 70-53 win over Benedictine University in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament quarterfinal-round game at Mulva Family Fitness & Sports Center.

The Green Knights (17-9) will host Edgewood College at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, in a semifinal-round game.

St. Norbert fell behind 5-0 to open the game before scoring seven straight points on a layup by Taylor Thiry, a jumper by Rose Hahn and a 3-pointer from Thiry. The Green Knights held a 14-13 lead halfway through the quarter before closing the period on an 8-0 run. Chloe Gruszynski finished at the rim, Casey Jepson hit a 3-pointer, Thiry had a basket and Jepson split a pair of free throws for a 22-13 lead after 10 minutes.

The Green Knights would build an 11-point lead at 29-18 after Kalina Winslow hit a layup. With just under four minutes left in the quarter, Benedictine would score on six consecutive possessions, but the Green Knights would answer with four straight scores of their own to hold a 37-33 lead at halftime.

A basket from Winslow to open the third quarter pushed the Green Knights ahead by six, but the Eagles would go on a 9-0 run to take a 42-39 lead with 3:36 left in the period. St. Norbert would respond with a 7-0 run with a conventional three-point play by Thiry and a pair of free throws and a layup by Gruszynski for a 46-42 lead with 2:26 to go. Benedictine hit a basket and St. Norbert scored five quick points on a pair of free throws from Thiry and a 3-pointer by Emma Morrisey for a 51-44 lead at the final quarter break.

St. Norbert would open the fourth quarter on game-deciding 13-3 run to build a 64-47 lead with 3:49 left to play.

The Green Knights shot 56.5 percent (26-for-46) from the floor. Thiry registered 24 points, while Winslow added 14 points.

Benedictine shot 36.4 percent (20-for-55) from the floor. Jordan Carlquist led the Eagles with 19 points.