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SMSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Mustangs use balanced scoring, stifling defense to roll past Upper Iowa

Photo by Jake Przytarski SMSU’s Madison Gehloff drives past Upper Iowa University’s Bekka Pierson during their game on Saturday. The Mustangs defeated UIU 76-51.

MARSHALL — Fueled by a balanced scoring attack and a shutdown performance on the defensive end of the floor, the Southwest Minnesota State University women’s basketball team earned its fourth win in its last five games on Saturday in a 76-51 blowout of Upper Iowa University.

For SMSU coach Tom Webb, the team’s ball control and rebounding were also crucial factors in their success.

“We guarded (well), they shot 30% from the field. We did a good job of guarding and then we rebounded. We (also) didn’t turn it over. So, those three things are huge. Get more shots, guard really well and we got good looks,” said Webb.

Finding balance

With an assortment of capable outside shooters along with the personnel needed to do damage inside, the Mustangs presented the Peacocks with the tough task of having to guard against both modes of attack in Saturday’s conference matchup. In the first half, UIU elected to guard against the three, opening the door for an SMSU offensive surge in the paint.

Led by first-half double-digit scorers Sadie Stelter (11 points) and Meleah Reinhart (10 points), the Mustangs showed no hesitation in driving hard to the basket and held a convincing 24-4 advantage in points in the paint. In addition to the scoring push made by its starters, the team also received timely contributions from the bench as Madison Gehloff made her presence felt with a nine-point boost, along with six points from Erin Baxter. Webb said it’s a blessing to have the depth of scoring that they possess.

“We’re very blessed, we have a lot of kids that can play and score the basketball and so it makes life a lot easier and a lot harder to guard,” said Webb. “Madison had 14, Sam (Wall) has led us in scoring before. It makes it tough when you have depth. It’s a fun thing.”

With the Mustangs’ offense pouncing on UIU’s inability to stop them on drives to the basket, the team held a 40-27 lead at halftime. Webb said the key to that success was their relentlessness in attacking the rim.

“Going downhill (was key),” said Webb. “I think when we can shoot the ball like we can it’s so hard to guard because you space (everyone out) so you’re one on one. We got the ball spinning a little bit, got it moving a little bit with some pace and then we got downhill.”

After making just three shots from beyond the arc on 13 attempts in the first half, the Mustangs were able to match that total in the opening minutes of the third quarter with the Peacocks focused on eliminating points in the paint. As a result, sharp-shooters Stelter and Wall took over by combining to score the Mustangs’ first nine points–all from shots beyond the arc–to extend their lead to 49-31.

By the end of the quarter, SMSU held a 63-44 lead after shooting 55.6% (5-9) from three. According to Webb, the team’s success earlier in the game getting to the basket on drives loomed large in their three-point shooting frenzy in the second half.

“In the first half we got to the lane, so they didn’t want us getting to the paint anymore and getting inside so they started to guard inside more, and we got better kicks,” said Webb. “We got uncontested threes and when you get uncontested threes we’re going to make enough.”

SMSU was unable to keep its rapid scoring pace up in the fourth quarter but put together its best defensive stretch of the game in holding the Peacocks to only seven points in the final frame to win the game 76-51. The strong defensive effort was led by Abuk Akoi, who ended the game with a pair of blocks and a steal.

Next up

The Mustangs (10-9, 5-9) will be on the road for their next two matchups on Friday and Saturday against Minnesota-Crookston and Bemidji State. Though the team dropped a tough game against Winona State this week, Webb is confident in what the team can accomplish moving forward.

“I think we’re in good shape. We’ve won four of our last five. We just had a little skid, but we’ll be fine now,” said Webb. “We’ll compete on the road. Bemidji’s good and Crookston’s been kind of competing with everyone, so it’ll be an interesting weekend.”

SMSU 76, Upper Iowa 51

SMSU 40 36 -76

Upper Iowa 27 24 -51

Overall FG percentage: SMSU 44.4 % (28-63); Upper Iowa 30.9% (17-55)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

SCORING: SMSU (Gehloff, Stelter 14, Reinhart 13, Borchers 10, Akoi 8).

REBOUNDING: SMSU (Akoi 14, Stelter 7, Teske 6, Gehloff 3).

ASSISTS: SMSU (Borchers 4, Reinhart 3, Baxter, Akoi 2).

STEALS: SMSU (Baxter 2, Borchers, Akoi 1).

BLOCKS: SMSU (Akoi 2, Gehloff 1) .

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