T71 Dudelange B controlled its Tour qualificatif opener, beating BC Mess 62-37 at grimler/central. The hosts blitzed to 12-1 and 15-1 (Amy Baulesch 3) before a Mess timeout in the 6th minute, closing the first quarter 22-6. In the second, an 8-0 burst to 30-9 driven by Michèle Orban (39) and captain Vanessa Bies (32, AUT) set a 37-15 halftime cushion.
Mess found a window after the break: Lynn Thilges (27, 1.74m) strung together a 3 and a 2 for five straight points, helping the visitors take the third 12-8 and trim it to 45-27. Liv Jander (17, 1.70m) calmed T71 with three free throws in a row late in the quarter. Early in the fourth, Thilges' third triple cut it to 45-30, but T71 answered with a decisive 15-2 run to 60-32. During that phase, the Mess bench drew a coach technical (Joao Carlos Santiago Janeiro). T71's highest lead reached 28.
Standouts T71: Orban 18, Bies 15, Dana Wies (17, 1.77m) 12, Jander 11. For Mess: Thilges 11 (three 3s), Caroline Pantaleoni (27) 7, Noémie Schammo (25) 6, Hannah Pauly (27) 6, Chiara Reuland (28) 5. Mess also struggled with fouls in stretches, including a cluster on Aileen Lucius in Q2.
In the new table, T71B sits 3rd, Mess 6th.
(AI generated)