LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Top-ranked Morningside (Iowa) College beat the No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan University women's basketball team 62-54 during the Viterbo University NAIA Showcase in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

The Wildcats will battle Trinity International (Ill.) University at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 15 in the consolation game of the tournament.

The battle of top-10 teams lived up to its billing in the first half which featured five ties and 11 lead changes.

Morningside attempted to put the Wildcats away early as they built a 10-3 lead. But the Wildcats quickly countered with seven straight points to tie the score at 10-10. No team led by more than three points the rest of the first half as Morningside entered intermission with a 28-26 advantage.

Indiana Wesleyan stayed close throughout the second half of action, but never gained a lead.

Morningside pushed their advantage to 38-30 four minutes into the half. Indiana Wesleyan would fight back and cut the deficit to three points three times, the last coming with just over six minutes on the clock.

Indiana Wesleyan was forced to foul in the waning minutes of the game as Morningside made seven free throws in the final two and a half minutes. The Wildcats would get no closer than six points.

Sophomore guard Kayla Thompson led IWU in scoring with 13 points to go along with four steals. Senior guard Jenna Schafer and sophomore forward Elaine Hessel each chipped in with nine points a piece.

Indiana Wesleyan ended the game at 46.5-percent (20 of 43) from the field while Morningside shot 42.9-percent (21 of 49).

The Wildcats fall to 1-2 on the season with both losses coming to ranked opponents. Morningside improves to 6-0.