MOUNT PLEASANT – Iowa Wesleyan College posted a huge rebounding advantage over Clarke College and shot 88.5% from the free throw stripe in cruising to a 68-49 win over the Crusaders Saturday afternoon in Midwest Collegiate Conference women’s basketball play.
The Tigers got 14 points and seven rebounds from Brittany Okland (Sr.-Kelley, Iowa) and out-rebounded the visitors 51-31, overcoming 32 turnovers to win their second straight in conference play. IWC also moved to 6-5 overall on the season, while Clarke fell to 1-9 overall and 0-2 in the MCC.
IWC led almost the entire game, taking the lead for good six minutes into the game and never trailing again. The Tigers led by double figures much of the game and built a 37-23 lead at halftime, taking control by holding the Crusaders without a field goal for more than six minutes in the middle of the half.
Wesleyan stretched the lead to as many as 22 points in the second half, though the Tigers were unable to deliver a definitive knockout punch in a ragged game that saw the teams combine for 60 turnovers and neither team shooting better than 34%. IWC made just 20 field goals in the game, shooting 20-for-59 (33.9%) but converted 23 of 26 free throws.
Ali DeVries (Jr.-Bellevue, Iowa) joined Okland in double figures with 10 points. Rachel Mitchell (Sr.-Des Moines, Iowa) tied Okland for the team lead in rebounds with seven and added a game high six assists. Thirteen players played for IWC with only two (Okland and Mitchell) playing more than 22 minutes.
The Tigers step back outside conference for the rest of December, starting with a pair of games next weekend in Nebraska. IWC will next face the College of St. Mary on Friday in Omaha.
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.
