FREMONT, NEB. – Jill Ginder (Sr.-Olney, Ill.) led the way scoring and the Iowa Wesleyan College women’s basketball team held both opponents below 33% shooting in winning a pair of games at the RTG Medical Women’s Basketball Classic hosted by Midland (Neb.) University Friday and Saturday.
The Tigers, ranked 12th in the NAIA Division II preseason coaches’ poll, defeated host Midland University on Friday, 65-55, and then beat McPherson (Kan.) College 61-44 on Saturday. IWC ran its win streak to three games and improved to 4-2 on the season.
Wesleyan got strong performances from it starting five against Midland, as all five scored in double figures, led by Ginder with 15 points. Anna Jones (Jr.-Cornell, Ill.) also added 10 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and the Tigers held the Warriors to 32.7% shooting in the game.
Abby Brend (Jr.-Ogden, Iowa) also scored 14 points and added seven assists in a game that was tied at 32-32 at halftime. IWC trailed 44-42 with 13:17 left in the game, but would use an 11-0 run to take control and allowed Midland just 11 points over the game’s final 13 minutes.
The Tigers ground out a win Saturday against McPherson in a game that had 52 turnovers, 27 by IWC. Sheray Brown (Sr.-Detroit, Mich.) dominated inside with 17 points and 16 rebounds, Ginder tallied 17 points and eight boards and Jones just missed a triple-double with 10 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
IWC built a double-digit lead midway through the first half and was in control the rest of the way, though the Bulldogs hung around and were still within 12 with just over six minutes left in the game. McPherson shot just 29.2%, though, making 14 of 48 field goals, and also was just 14 of 25 from the free throw line (56.0%).
Wesleyan also out-rebounded the Bulldogs 41-27 and got all but 12 points in the tourney from starters. The Tigers finished as one of two Midwest Collegiate Conference teams to go 2-0 in the tourney, as Mount Mercy University also swept games against Midland and McPherson.
The Tigers next will travel to Decatur, Ill., to play in a tourney hosted by Millikin (Ill.) University next Saturday and Sunday.
Box score IWC 65 Midland 55
Box score IWC 61 McPherson 44
