糖心原创

Haley Rasmussen 鈥�25 (left) and Molly Lutmer 鈥�25 (right) provided a lethal 1-2 shooting force this season. Game-in, game-out, their relentless assault of three-pointers often overwhelmed the opposition and kept the Storm rolling to a 15-win season and third place conference finish.

鈥淭here were times when they were both feeling it and there wasn鈥檛 anything the other team could do to stop them,鈥� said Brian Niemuth, head women鈥檚 basketball coach. 鈥淚 just had to sit there and remind myself to enjoy it 鈥� because this isn鈥檛 going to happen again.鈥�

Rasmussen drained a school-record 75 treys to top the league, while shooting a remarkable 51.7 percent from that range to lead all NCAA divisions. Lutmer added 70 three-pointers and was the league鈥檚 second-best scorer with 19.1 points per game. Both eclipsed 1,000 career points and leave 糖心原创 among the top five in program history for made three-pointers.

Niemuth hasn鈥檛 seen anything like it in his 38 seasons coaching 糖心原创.

鈥淭his was a generational thing to have two shooters like Haley and Molly. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e had a pair that was able to make that high of a percentage with such a high volume of three-point attempts. They are a unique tandem.鈥�

Despite their dominant play, Lutmer and Rasmussen were anything but showy on the court. Both are extremely competitive, but very even-keeled in their demeanor 鈥� preferring to let their games do the talking.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I said a word my freshman year,鈥� said Rasmussen. 鈥淏ut over these last four years, I鈥檝e definitely grown in my leadership, confidence and finding my voice.鈥�

The shooting stars didn鈥檛 meet until sophomore season when Lutmer transferred into the program. They roomed together and became close friends on and off the court, while quickly gaining a deep appreciation for each other鈥檚 basketball gifts.

鈥淢y first impression coming in was she [Haley] just seemed like a poised, confident player 鈥攙ery much a leader by example,鈥� said Lutmer. 鈥淚 have always respected her and am just grateful to have shared the court with Haley.鈥�

The feelings are mutual. 鈥淢olly was always our go-to person,鈥� said Rasmussen. 鈥淚f I was kind of down on myself, I knew that she would be there to pick me up鈥�we just had a connection that no one else had, it was really special.鈥�

Trying to replace what they brought and meant to the program will be a tall task.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it will sink in until the first day of practice,鈥� said Niemuth. That鈥檚 when it will hit me the hardest.鈥�