Fourth quarter surge lifts Storm over Buena Vista

INDIANOLA, Iowa — Noreen Morrow and Maddie Simmons combined for 30 points and Janey Botkins provided a big lift off the bench as the Simpson women's basketball team beat Buena Vista 81-68 on Wednesday at Cowles Fieldhouse.

Morrow and Simmons scored 15 points apiece for the Storm (8-13, 5-7 Iowa Conference), who snapped a three-game losing streak to earn a split in the season series. A close game for the first three quarters, Simpson mounted a 15-6 run early in the fourth to pull away.

Simpson led 56-52 when Morrow converted a layup to spark the run. Botkins then hit the first of her three 3-pointers, all of which came in a span of 3 minutes, 9 seconds. Morrow added a put-back and another layup and Botkins canned two more 3s as the Storm opened a 71-58 lead with 4:35 remaining.

Botkins finished with 12 points, going 3-for-5 from 3-point range. Katie Ahrenholtz added 12 and eight rebounds, Ellen Gallagher had 10 points and Britney Boland pulled down 13 rebounds. 

Coming into the game as one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, Simpson outrebounded Buena Vista 44-36. 

Jasmine Demers scored 17 points to lead the Beavers (11-10, 7-5).

Simpson started the game slowly, going without a field goal for nearly four minutes before scoring six unanswered to take a 6-4 lead. Megan Lankford's 3 late in the first half gave Simpson a five-point lead and the Storm led 32-28 at the half. 

Demers' jumper with 5:05 left in the third gave Buena Vista its only lead of the second half, 40-39. Simmons responded with her own 5-0 run and the Storm led the rest of the way.

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Simpson goes to Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday, Feb. 4. The Prairie Wolves (10-10, 4-8) beat Central 67-58 on Wednesday.