SWCC women fall in regional

COUNCIL BLUFFS — The 2023-24 season came to a close for the Southwestern women Saturday in a barrage of Iowa Western free throws.

The fifth-ranked Reivers improved to 29-2 for the season in a 78-52 victory, breaking away from three competitive quarters against the Spartans (8-23). With 21 fouls whistled against Southwestern, that resulted in Spartan starters Gabby Dwanyen and Mikayla Hearon fouling out, Iowa Western converted 31 of 35 charity shots, while the Spartans had just five attempts at the line, making four.

That disparity, and a 49-28 rebounding edge by the Reivers, made it a tough hill to climb for the Spartans, seeded seventh in the ICCAC region.

McKenna Minter poured in 35 points to lead Iowa Western to Monday’s Region B championship against North Iowa Area Community College. Minter was 14-18 at the free throw line.

“They shot 35 free throws to our five free throws, and that’s a lot to make up,” Southwestern coach Darien Wingate said. “Minter hit a lot of big shots for them. She’s a former Division I player and she put the team on her back. We had a rough night shooting with only one player in double figures.”

Dwanyen led the Spartans with 17 points. Sophomore guard Cassidy Nelson of Lenox ended her career with eight points, four rebounds and two assists.

Southwestern had pushed Iowa Western into overtime in a home loss earlier this season, and led the favored Reivers 21-20 after one quarter Saturday. Iowa Western moved into a 39-32 halftime lead and maintained a 52-43 advantage going into the fourth period. Foul shots fueled a big 26-9 fourth quarter to seal the win for Iowa Western.

“In our home game against them we were hitting shots and doing a better job defensively in a low-scoring game,” Wingate said. “Both times we played over there we had a big deficit at the line.”

Nelson and Hearon are the lone sophomores on this year’s team, which was also riddled by five injuries that hampered the team’s energy late in games due to lack of depth. Wingate is looking ahead to having a deeper bench next season.

This was a rebuilding year coming off the termination of the 2022-23 season midway through the campaign due to low numbers in his first season on campus. The late departure of previous coach Bryan Austin had made building a roster last season a challenge.

“Coming off a year of no season, and being able to get the seventh seed in the conference with eight wins, that’s something to build on,” Wingate said. “We’re heading in the right direction.”

SOUTHWESTERN (52) — Totals — (FG FT PTS) 19 4-5 52. Gabby Dwanyen 7 0-0 17, Sharmaine Tapling 3 0-0 9, Shyla Moore 2 4-5 9, Cassidy Nelson 3 0-0 8, Brooklyn Hadl 2 0-0 4, Rachel Tramble 1 0-0 3, Mikayla Hearon 1 0-0 2. FG shooting — 19-64 (29.7 percent). 3-point goals — 10-39 (Tapling 3, Dwanyen 3, Nelson 2, Moore 1, Tramble 1). Rebounds — 28 (Hadl 7, Moore 6, Dwanyen 4, Nelson 4). Assists — 13 (Moore 5, Hadl 3). Steals — 5 (Moore 3, Hadl 2). Blocked shots — 4 (Hearon 2). Turnovers — 15. Team fouls — 21. Fouled out — Dwanyen, Hearon.

IOWA WESTERN (78) — Totals — (FG FT PTS) 23 31-35 78. McKenna Minter 10 14-18 35, Kimahni Woods 2 6-6 10, DaNiya Warren-McClure 1 6-6 8, Caleigh-Rose West 3 2-2 8, Shannon Niles 3 1-1 7, Blessing Teamer 1 2-2 4, Alindria Dudley 2 0-0 4, Noel Warrior 1 0-0 2. FG shooting — 23-64 (35.9 percent). 3-point goals — 1-14 (Minter 1). Rebounds — 49 (Woods 16, West 11, Minter 10). Assists — 13 (Minter 4, West 3). Steals — 6 (West 2, Woods 2). Blocked shots — 3 (West 2). Turnovers — 14. Team fouls — 10. Fouled out — None.