Simpson College’s women’s basketball defeated Nebraska Wesleyan University at home on Feb. 4 by a score of 87-51.
The team won by its largest margin of victory of the season and led by 42 points.
The Storm dominated from the start, jumping out to a 15-9 lead in the first quarter, which extended to 21 points by halftime.
The third quarter was just as strong, as the girls got out to a 42-point lead before entering reserves early in the fourth quarter with a comfortable lead.
First-year Kiera McCormick scored a career high of 23 points in the win. She also had 5 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. She attributed the career high to her teammates, who she thanked for good spacing and good passes.
“We had really good spacing as a team, and then when I screened up top, I usually had a mismatch from there,” McCormick said.
Coach Claire Urias said McCormick’s performance involved good team play all around.
“Our point guards did a great job of getting her the ball in good spots, and obviously, she did a good job of hitting her shots,” Urias said.
The storm also got quality minutes from many other players, including senior Maddax DeVault with 12 points, six rebounds and four steals. Junior Doryn Paup also added 14 points on 70 percent shooting, four rebounds and three assists.
The Storm also showed their depth, with all 18 players on the bench receiving playing time. They totaled 43 points off the bench and matched a season high of 87 points scored.
The girls also extended their win streak over the Prairie Wolves to 14 straight games, dating back to February 2019.
The team bounced back from their loss Jan. 31 against Luther College. Urias said they’ve been continuing to do their normal.
“Just continuing the process we’ve been on, doing the small things every day,” Urias said.
McCormick stressed the importance of their teamwork.
“It was important that we kept our heads up and stuck together as a team, and supported each other through everything,” McCormick said.
After the win, the Storm now holds third place in the American Rivers Conference by a half-game.
The team has five more conference games before the tournament begins at the end of February.
