Thirteenth-ranked DMACC used a late first-quarter spurt to pull ahead in an 82-58 victory over Southwestern here Saturday.
“We came out sharp to start the game, and both teams were playing well defensively as it was close to the eight-minute mark in the first quarter and both teams were still under five points,” SWCC coach Addae Houston said. “I went to the bench near the end of the quarter and they went on a 9-0 run. Just like that, it went from an even game to a situation where they were up 20-11.”
The Spartans were down 16 points at halftime (41-25), outscored the Bears 21-18 in the third, then faded as DMACC finished with a 23-12 fourth period.
“We outscored them in the third and had it right at 10 points,” Houston said. “Then they hit a three right at the end of the third quarter go to up 13. That just seemed to shatter our momentum and confidence. In the fourth quarter we didn’t play well at all.”
Sophomore center LaStella Slack scored 18 points with eight rebounds and two steals for Southwestern, which fell to 7-13 overall and 1-7 in ICCAC Division II play. Guard Maleika Carter had 14 points and two assists. Sophomore post player Olivia Reifert hauled in a team-best 11 rebounds while scoring four points.
Southwestern shot only 35 percent from two-point range and 2-of-13 from behind the arc.
“We need better consistency on offense right now,” Houston said.
Twelve different DMACC players scored. Shayla Dean and Amanda Cartney each tallied 12 for the Bears, who improved to 20-4 overall and 6-2 in the league.
On Wednesday Southwestern travels to Mason City to take on North Iowa Area Community College (13-10, 5-3).
DMACC (82) — Amanda Cartney 4 1-2 12, Shayla Dean 3 4-4 12, Kelsey Pretz 4 0-0 9, London Vais 4 1-2 9, Kiana Peterson 3 1-3 8, Angel Agoth 2 2-2 6, Deja McAtee 2 0-0 5, Emily Knittel 2 1-1 5, Samantha Hughes 2 0-0 4, Alison Meehan 2 0-0 4, Cassie Geopfert 1 0-0 2. Totals — 32 10-14 82. 3-point goals — 8 (Cartney 3, Dean 2, McAtee 1, Pretz 1, Peterson 1). Team fouls — 21. Fouled out — None.
SOUTHWESTERN (58) — LaStella Slack 8 2-3 18, Maleika Carter 6 2-4 14, Cambry Schluter 2 1-1 6, Julanie Carter 2 0-0 5, Chelsi Sams 0 4-4 4, Olivia Reifert 0 4-4 4, Sabrina Fountain 1 1-1 3, Khadijah Wilson 0 2-2 2, Alexis Bronner 1 0-0 2. Totals — 20 16-18 58. FG shooting — 20-64 (31 percent). 3-point goals — 2-13 (Schluter 1, J. Carter 1). Rebounds — 34 (Reifert 11, Slack 8, Sams 4, Fountain 3, Bronner 3). Assists — 11 (M. Carter 2, Reifert 2). Steals — 6 (Slack 2). Turnovers — 21. Team fouls — 19. Fouled out — None.
DMACC — 22 41 59 82
SWCC — 12 25 46 58