Reivers Fall in Championship Quarterfinals

JOPLIN, Mo. - 5th seeded Iowa Western Women's Basketball fell to the No. 4 seed CCBC Essex Knights 70-47 on Wednesday evening at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the campus of Missouri Southern University.

The Reivers (32-3) fell behind from the tip when the Knights (28-6) openend up with an 11-2 lead. Sophomore Guard Shannon Niles answered with 5 of her game-high 17 points but Iowa Western couldn't break Essex's zone defense as they collapsed the paint with every attempt to move the ball inside.  Sophomore forward Caleigh-Rose West was tagged with her 2nd personal foul just 8 minutes into the game and sat for most of the first half.

The Knights contained IWCC's leading scorer, McKenna Minter, holding her to a season low 4 points.  CCBC's biggest lead of the first two quarters was 13 when they led 25-12 with 2:46 remaining in the opening half.  Iowa Western would claw back, going on an 8-0 run but still trailed by 9 going into the break.

Out of the halftime, West would pick up her 3rd personal and would not re-enter until the 4th quarter.  The Reivers would then go on a 14-4 run over 6:00 minutes to make it a one-point game, 40-39 with 2:19 to play in the 3rd quarter.  

The Knights however, would respond with a 19-4 run that bled midway through the final period as Iowa Western couldn't get any offense going in the last 10:00 of the game and we're outscored in the 4th quarter 24-7.

For the Reivers, their 47 points is the lowest total of any game this season, shooting just 16 of 63 from the field, while being outscored in the paint, 30-18.  A total of 134 shots were taken in this game with Essex going 25 of 71 from the field.

Alindria Dudley ended with 10 points and 5 rebounds, and Blessing Teamer finished with a team high 11 rebounds and 7 points.

Iowa Western moves into the consolation side of the bracket with the loss and will play again on Friday at 1:00 in the 5th place semi-final game versus Rock Valley College.