Photo by Jake McNeill Marshall’s Brianna Simpson (23) attempts a layup around a pair of Mankato West defenders in the Tigers’ win over the Scarlets in the Borch’s Holiday Classic at Southwest Minnesota State University on Wednesday night.

MARSHALL — The Marshall girls’ basketball team nearly doubled Mankato West in their 60-33 defeat of the Scarlets at the Borch’s Holiday Classic at Southwest Minnesota State University on Wednesday night.

The Tigers came out strong and never looked back. They opened the game with a 20-2 run and had as many points at the half as the Scarlets had in the game.

Lauren Wherry and Bri Simpson led the way for the Tigers’ offense in the game. Simpson finished the game with 17 points on 7-17 shooting, while Wherry had 16 on 6-9 from the field.

Aside from scoring, Simpson and Wherry were also key playmakers for Marshall. The duo tied for the team-high in assists with four each.

Leah Jones paved the way for Marshall’s efforts on the boards, finishing the game with a game-high seven rebounds, including two off the offensive glass.

The Tigers had the luxury of getting all their players some in-game experience in the win. With an early lead that they were able to carry with them until the final buzzer, every player on the roster saw time on the court. Not a single Tiger had a negative plus-minus rating.

While the Tiger defense was impressive, more impressive was their ability to defend without fouling. Marshall finished the game with more steals, 13, than they did fouls. They also forced an additional three turnovers that didn’t count as steals.

Marshall’s offense looked dominant, but their one notable wakness was their ability to space the floor. They shot 1-11 from the field, with Wherry making the team’s lone 3-point shot.

As effective as their offensive efficiency was in the paint, the Tigers will need to be able to score from longer range if they want to continue to win games.

Following the lopsided win, Marshall (4-1) will try to keep their momentum going when they play their next game on the road against Pipestone Area Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.