MOUNT PLEASANT - Four players scored in double figures and Iowa Wesleyan College's defense produced 15 steals as the Tigers defeated Viterbo (Wis.) University 73-46 Saturday afternoon at Ruble Arena.
It was a happy Senior Day for six IWC seniors playing their final regular season home game, as the Tigers never trailed in rolling to their 22nd straight victory at home. Wesleyan also maintained its ½-game lead over Mount Mercy College in the Midwest Collegiate Conference standings, improving to 12-3 in the MCC and 18-9 overall.
The Tigers shot 56.9% (29-for-51) for the game, the team’s best shooting performance of the season. That included a sizzling first half when Wesleyan hit 19 of 30 shots in building a 43-22 halftime lead. IWC finished the first half on a 17-4 run over the final 6:30 to take the 21-point lead into the break.
Wesleyan maintained a comfortable margin in the second half, with the V-Hawks getting as close as 58-42 after a three-pointer by Audrah Berger with 8:21before IWC shut the door with a 15-2 run in the final minutes.
Brittany Okland (Sr.-Kelley, Iowa) led the Tigers with 15 points on 7-for-11 shooting and also added three blocked shots. Anna Jones (Fr.-Cornell, Ill.) again was a sparkplug off the bench with 14 points, four rebounds, five assists and five steals, while Heather Larson (Jr.-Canton, Ill.) and Ali DeVries (Jr.-Bellevue, Iowa) also were in double figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Rachel Mitchell (Sr.-Des Moines, Iowa) added eight points as well as team highs in rebounds (six) and assists (nine). The game was the final regular season date at home for Okland, Rachel Mitchell, Jennie Mitchell (Sr.-LaGrange, Ga.), Kelli Garrison (Sr.-Johnson, Kan.), Brittney Wilson (Sr.-Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and DeVries, a junior in eligibility but a senior academically.
Katina Mandylaris led Viterbo with 15 points and eight rebounds while Berger added 10 points. The V-Hawks shot 36.0% for the game (18-for-50) and dropped to 9-19 overall, 3-11 in the MCC.
The Tigers remain ½ game ahead of Mount Mercy in the conference standings after the Mustangs had to claw back for an overtime win over William Penn University on Saturday. IWC has one game left in the regular season and can clinch a tie for the MCC regular season title with a win at Waldorf College in Forest City next Saturday at 1 p.m. After facing Waldorf, Wesleyan will then open the MCC Tournament at home on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.
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.
