Ladies 2nd Round Recap
03/10/07
By ADAM FISHER, Chronicle
Tribune
acfisher@marion.gannett.com
SIOUX CITY, Iowa Indiana Wesleyan guard Stephanie Culp always remembers one piece of advice from coach Steve Brooks when shes on the court.
Coach always tells us to keep shooting and stay confident, Culp said.
Culp and the Wildcats shooters overcame a rocky first half to hit some big shots and pull away after halftime Friday. Top-seeded IWU beat Tabor (Kan.), the fourth seed, 61-44 in the second round of the NAIA Division II womens basketball national tournament.
Culp hit back-to-back 3-pointers and scored eight straight points in a 15-4 second half run that put the game away. The Wildcats shot 8-of-26 from long range for the game, but hit four straight 3s in the pivotal run.
Indiana Wesleyan plays defending national champion Hastings (Neb.) at 1 p.m. today in the quarterfinals. With the victory, the Wildcats matched their deepest run into the national tournament. IWU made its only other quarterfinal appearance in 2005, when it lost to Evangel (Calif.)
Ranked No. 1 in the national polls, IWU remained undefeated (35-0) and extended its Division II record winning streak to 35. Tabor ended its season 26-6.
We had better ball movement in the second half, and I also thought we kind of got into a little rhythm, Brooks said. In the national tournament, there are jitters every game. We came out a little more relaxed (after halftime).
Culp finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Liz Howerth scored 26, including the first eight points of the game. Howerth added nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Wildcats started the second half on a 10-2 run that gave them their first double digit lead of the game. After a 3-pointer by Brooke Amstutz with 12:25 to play, IWU never trailed by less that 11.
IWU hit 3 of 13 treys in the first half, as the Wildcats struggled to score against the Blue Jays zone defense. The Wildcats used a defense that forced Tabor into 12 turnovers to take a 27-22 halftime lead.
You have to be on top of your game because (IWU) just doesnt make many mistakes, Tabor coach Rusty Allen said. In the first half, we probably could have had a lead if we didnt make so many turnovers. In the second half, we basically had to not turn the ball over to win.
Next up for IWU is Hastings, which has won the national championship three out of the past five years. The Broncos play in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The past six Division II champs are from the GPAC.
acfisher@marion.gannett.com
SIOUX CITY, Iowa Indiana Wesleyan guard Stephanie Culp always remembers one piece of advice from coach Steve Brooks when shes on the court.
Coach always tells us to keep shooting and stay confident, Culp said.
Culp and the Wildcats shooters overcame a rocky first half to hit some big shots and pull away after halftime Friday. Top-seeded IWU beat Tabor (Kan.), the fourth seed, 61-44 in the second round of the NAIA Division II womens basketball national tournament.
Culp hit back-to-back 3-pointers and scored eight straight points in a 15-4 second half run that put the game away. The Wildcats shot 8-of-26 from long range for the game, but hit four straight 3s in the pivotal run.
Indiana Wesleyan plays defending national champion Hastings (Neb.) at 1 p.m. today in the quarterfinals. With the victory, the Wildcats matched their deepest run into the national tournament. IWU made its only other quarterfinal appearance in 2005, when it lost to Evangel (Calif.)
Ranked No. 1 in the national polls, IWU remained undefeated (35-0) and extended its Division II record winning streak to 35. Tabor ended its season 26-6.
We had better ball movement in the second half, and I also thought we kind of got into a little rhythm, Brooks said. In the national tournament, there are jitters every game. We came out a little more relaxed (after halftime).
Culp finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Liz Howerth scored 26, including the first eight points of the game. Howerth added nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Wildcats started the second half on a 10-2 run that gave them their first double digit lead of the game. After a 3-pointer by Brooke Amstutz with 12:25 to play, IWU never trailed by less that 11.
IWU hit 3 of 13 treys in the first half, as the Wildcats struggled to score against the Blue Jays zone defense. The Wildcats used a defense that forced Tabor into 12 turnovers to take a 27-22 halftime lead.
You have to be on top of your game because (IWU) just doesnt make many mistakes, Tabor coach Rusty Allen said. In the first half, we probably could have had a lead if we didnt make so many turnovers. In the second half, we basically had to not turn the ball over to win.
Next up for IWU is Hastings, which has won the national championship three out of the past five years. The Broncos play in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The past six Division II champs are from the GPAC.