MOUNT PLEASANT – Iowa Wesleyan College forced Viterbo (Wis.) University into 31 turnovers and relied on its defense in a 64-50 win over the V-Hawks Saturday afternoon at Ruble Arena.
The Tigers were battled to a stalemate on the boards, struggled at the free throw line and were outshot by the visitors, but took advantage of 17 steals to win for the 11th time in 12 games and improve to 13-7 overall, 6-1 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference. IWC took sole possession of first place in the MCC standings, ½ game ahead of idle St. Ambrose University.
Wesleyan led the large majority of the game and never lost the lead once it went ahead for the first time midway through the first half. But the Tigers received a battle from the V-Hawks (6-14, 2-4 MCC) and despite building a solid lead in the second half still were not able to rest easy until the game’s final minute.
IWC led 33-26 at halftime and held Viterbo scoreless for more than seven minutes early in the second half, eventually building a 56-36 lead when Megan Couch (Sr.-Mooresville, Ind.) scored on a layup with 6:50 remaining in the game. The Tigers were in control down the stretch, still leading by 18 points after Angela Brinkmeyer (Sr.-Hubbard, Iowa) hit a layup to make it 60-42 with 4:11 remaining.
Viterbo would not go away, though, and three straight outside jumpers, including two three-pointers, made it 61-50 with 1:55 to go. The V-Hawks would not score again, though, as the Tigers salted the game away.
The visiting V-Hawks got off to the better start in the game and held the lead for the game’s first 10 minutes, leading by as many as five on two occasions. IWC finally took its first lead on a jumper by Jill Ginder (Jr.-Olney, Ill.) to make it 16-15 with 9:43 left in the half. Her basket was part of a 13-0 run that put the Tigers ahead and gave Wesleyan its biggest lead of the half at eight points.
Anna Jones (So.-Cornell, Ill.) led the Tigers with 16 points and added game highs with five assists and seven steals. Sherry Zehner (Sr.-St. Louis, Mo.) made her second straight start in place of Jessi Beachey (Jr.-Fisher, Ill.) and added 15 points and made seven of eight free throws. As a team, though, the Tigers shot just 60% from the line, making 21 of 35 foul shots.
Sheray Brown (Jr.-Detroit, Mich.) did not take a shot in the game but had 10 rebounds. The Tigers shot 38.2% for the game, making 21 of 55 shots, and the teams tied for the rebounding battle at 36-36. IWC also committed just 14 turnovers, the team’s second-lowest total of the season.
Dani Templin scored 15 points to lead the V-Hawks, who shot 41.7% (20-for-48). Katina Mandylaris added 10 rebounds.
The Tigers will next play at Waldorf College in Forest City next Saturday at 1 p.m. A live broadcast will be available online at www.iwc.edu/onlinemedia.
For more information regarding the IWC basketball programs or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Box score IWC 64 Viterbo 50
