The Central College women’s basketball team made a valiant run down the stretch, but fell short in a 61-53 road loss to Luther College Saturday, while the men toppled the defending league champions in a 77-74 double-overtime win.

In the women’s contest, Central College erased a 16-point halftime deficit but came up short in the final minutes to lose by eight points. Junior guard Alyssa Schwartz led the Dutch with 12 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Sarah Paulson had nine points and eight rebounds. The Central women are now 6-17 overall and 1-13 in the Iowa Conference.

The late game saw the Dutch seem to take possession of the game several times, only to have the Norse charge right back to tie or take the lead. Still, Central capitalized when it mattered most, holding on for the three-point win. Jacob Winkler led four Dutch players in double digits, posting his fourth career double-double with a game-high 23 points and 15 rebounds.

Central shot 42.2 percent from the floor and hit eight-of-20 shots from long distance. The Norse shot 40.3 percent. The Dutch outrebounded Luther 46-45 and forced 18 Norse turnovers. With the win, Central betters their record to 16-7 overall and 8-6 in the Iowa Conference; clinching a spot in the six-team league tournament.

Central wraps up its last two regular season games at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. The Dutch host Simpson College Wednesday before facing Wartburg College next Saturday. Central will host its “Pink Out” night Wednesday to raise awareness for cancer.