Simmons 3 pushes Storm past Coe 64-61

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Maddie Simmons banked in the go-ahead 3, the defense didn't allow a point in the final 3 minutes, and the Simpson women's basketball team got back to .500 in Iowa Conference play with a 64-61 win over Coe on Saturday.

Simpson trailed 61-59 when Simmons -- who finished with a career-high 14 points -- hit a 3 from the right wing with 2:18 to play. Janey Botkins added a pair of free throws in the final seconds and Coe missed its last six shots from the field.

Noreen Morrow scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Storm (7-10, 4-4), who won their second straight. Simmons added five assists and Megan Lankford finished with nine points, four rebounds and three assists.

Jenna Lehman had a game-high 17 points and Mickey Hansche added 16 with four 3-pointers for the Kohawks (9-9, 4-5), who beat Simpson 70-65 after trailing by 15 just a week ago.

Lehman's layup with 3:02 left gave Coe a 61-59 lead, but Simpson pitched a shutout the rest of the way.

Coe entered the game as one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country, averaging nearly nine per game, but went just 6-for-21.

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Simpson goes to Buena Vista on Monday, Jan. 23 in a makeup game from Jan. 16. The Beavers (9-8, 5-3) beat Luther 85-66 on Saturday.