LA CROSSE, WIS. – Carroll (Wis.) University used a 15-0 run in the second half to take control and went on to defeat the Iowa Wesleyan College women’s basketball team 78-69 Saturday afternoon in the Tigers’ second game in the Wisconsin-La Crosse Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving Classic.
The Pioneers had five players score in double figures and had a decisive advantage at the free throw line, improving to 4-1 on the season. IWC dropped its second game in two days at the tourney and fell to 3-5 on the season.
The Tigers got 19 points and six rebounds from Heather Larson (Jr.-Canton, Ill.), who made eight of 13 field goals and also blocked two shots. IWC led by three points at halftime and shot 45.9% from the field (28-for-61), but the Tigers made just eight of 15 free throws (53.3%). Carroll was much more successful at both getting to the line and making shots, hitting 22 of 25 foul shots (88.0%).
The teams swapped the lead six times and were tied three times before the Pioneers took the lead for good early in the second half. IWC’s Ali DeVries (Jr.-Bellevue, Iowa) hit a three-pointer with 15:46 left in the game for a 43-41 Wesleyan lead, but the Tigers would go scoreless for more than four minutes. During that time Carroll would go scoreless on just two of its next nine possessions, scoring 15 straight points for a 56-43 lead before Megan Couch (Jr.-Mooresville, Ind.) could hit a jumper to end the drought. The Tigers never got closer than seven points the rest of the way
Brittany Okland (Sr.-Kelley, Iowa) joined Larson as the two IWC players in double figures scoring. DeVries added nine points and six rebounds. The Tigers out-rebounded the Pioneers 38-36 but committed 20 turnovers to 15 for Carroll.
Carroll, an NCAA Division III school from Waukesha, Wis., was led by Janelle Groer with 19 points and 11 rebounds. The Pioneers essentially went with a six-player rotation but hit 15 of 29 shots in the second half (51.7%) and made 41.0% of their field goals for the game (25 of 61).
The Tigers begin their Midwest Collegiate Conference schedule Wednesday night at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
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.
