Morrow, Botkins deliver down the stretch as Storm beat Central

INDIANOLA, Iowa — Noreen Morrow scored 24 points, Janey Botkins hit a clutch 3, and the Simpson women's basketball team held off Central to win 73-65 on Wednesday night.

The Storm (6-10, 3-4 Iowa Conference) lost all of a 13-point lead, allowing Central to tie the score at 54 with less than 8 minutes to play. Morrow responded with a pair of layups, part of an 8-0 run that put Simpson up for good.

Central crept back within four points before Botkins knocked down a 3 -- her fourth of the game -- to give Simpson a 65-58 lead with 2:57 left. Britney Boland made four free throws down the stretch to help Simpson secure its 31st straight win in the series.

Morrow scored 20 of her 24 after halftime, going 8-for-12 from the floor. Botkins and Boland had 14 apiece and Boland finished a rebound shy of a double-double. Katie Ahrenholtz and Ellen Gallagher combined for 16 points and nine boards off the bench.

The Storm held the Iowa Conference's leading scorer in check as Claire Marburger finished with 17 points off just 3 of 8 shooting. She went 11-for-12 from the line for the Dutch (8-8, 1-6), who dropped their sixth in a row. 

UP NEXT
Simpson travels to Coe on Saturday. The Kohawks (9-8, 4-4) beat Buena Vista 81-64 on Wednesday. Coe won the season's first matchup, 70-65 on Jan. 14.