WBB Preview: Storm vs. Coe, 1.14.17

After a two-game road trip the Simpson women's basketball team returns to Cowles Fieldhouse on Saturday, Jan. 14 to host the Coe Kohawks. The game will air on KNIA 1320 AM/95.3 FM and online at KNIAKRLS.com. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

As Saturday marks the final home weekend of the season, Simpson will honor its senior basketball players. Katie Ahrenholtz, Taryn Barz, Britney Boland and Megan Lankford will be recognized between games.

GAME SETUP
Coe (7-7, 2-3 IIAC) won for the second time in a three games with a 97-85 overtime win over Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday. Simpson (5-9, 2-3 IIAC) also earned it second win in three tries by beating Dubuque 58-48. The two squads are tied for fourth place in the league standings.

GAME DAY COVERAGE
Radio: KNIA 1320 AM/95.3 FM
Live Audio: www.kniakrls.com
Live Video: www.SimpsonAthletics.com
Live Stats: www.SimpsonAthletics.com

THE COACHES
Simpson—Brian Niemuth, 555-238 at Simpson (30th season)
Coe—Nate Oakland, 22-19 at Coe (second season)

THE SERIES
• Simpson and Coe will meet for the 53rd time in a series that dates back to 1977-78
• Simpson leads the all-time series 42-10 and is 20-4 against the Kohawks in Indianola
• Simpson won both contests in 2015-16, snapping a four-game losing streak in the series … Simpson beat Coe 75-71 on Jan. 9 in Cedar Rapids and 77-68 on Feb. 13 in Indianola.

THE KOHAWKS
• Coe is one of the top 3-point and free throw shooting teams in the nation … the Kohawks rank seventh in Division III with 125 3-pointers and are 10th with a 76.2 free throw percentage.
• A well-rounded offensive attack features two of the top three scorers in the conference … Jenna Lehman is second with 18.6 ppg and Aleena Hobbs is third with 17.2 ppg … Mickey Hansche is second in the IIAC with 41 3-pointers.
• Coe is just 4-6 away from Eby Fieldhouse this season, averaging almost 12 fewer points per game while giving up more than five more points per game … Coe averages 81.3 ppg at home and just 69.5 ppg away from Eby Fieldhouse.
• Aleena Hobbs recorded her third-straight double-double with 20 points and 16 rebounds in the win over Nebraska Wesleyan … she has five double-doubles on the year and averages 17.2 ppg and a team-high 7.5 rpg.
• Coe set a school record for made free throws with 33 against Nebraska Wesleyan, going 33-for-36 on the game … Hobbs (12-for-12) and Mickey Hansche (8-for-8) were both perfect from the line.

THE STORM
• Since starting the season 1-6, Simpson has gone 4-3 in the last seven games thanks in large-part to an improved defense … Simpson allowed 76.6 ppg and 41.6 percent shooting in the first seven games of the season, but has allowed just 61.1 ppg and 34.8 percent shooting since.
• Despite suffering nine losses this season, the Storm have rarely found themselves out of games … in five of the team's nine losses, the Storm have led in the second half, including each of the last three … Simpson has held a fourth quarter lead in four losses, including twice in the final 40 seconds.
• A big reason for Simpson's 2-1 record in January has been free throw shooting … the Storm are shooting a scalding 88.5 percent from the line in the last three games, compared to 69.1 percent in the first 11 games … Megan Lankford leads the Storm in free throw shooting, hitting 88.7 percent on the year, good for third in the IIAC and 17th in Division III.
• Noreen Morrow narrowly missed her sixth double-double of the season with 19 points and nine rebounds in the win over Dubuque … she has been one rebound shy of a double-double in each of her last two games, scoring 23 points in the loss at Loras … Morrow ranks fourth in the IIAC in scoring (16.1 ppg) and second in rebounding (9.0 rpg).
• Megan Lankford has been the Storm's go-to player in the clutch this season, scoring a team-high 40 points in the final five minutes of games this season … Morrow is a distant second with 15 points in the final five minutes.
• Junior Ellen Gallagher is enjoying a breakout season, averaging 7.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game after entering the season averaging less than three points per game for her career …  prior to Wednesday's game at Dubuque, Gallagher reached double figures in three straight games (11,12,11).