Kincaid scores career high, Storm cruise to win

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Senior Cameron Kincaid scored a career high to help the Simpson College women's basketball team cruise to a 79-56 victory at Coe on Saturday in the season opener.

Kincaid poured in 26 points for just her second career 20-point performance and first since Dec. 28, 2018. In addition to Kincaid's stellar outing, senior Jenna Taylor (18) and sophomore Cassie Nash (13) each scored in double figures for the Storm (1-0).

As a unit, Simpson shot 49.2% from the floor and held the Kohawks (0-1) to a 29.4% shooting clip. The Storm owned a 46-24 advantage of points in the paint to help make-up for only five made 3-pointers in the game.

After falling down by two points after a slow start to the game by both squads, Simpson used a 6-0 spurt to grab an early advantage as Taylor tallied four points. Taylor directed a 5-0 run by herself in the first to widen the margin to 11-4.

During the first four minutes of the second stanza, head coach Brian Niemuth's offense launched a 12-0 run to take a 29-14 lead. The Storm's tough defense forced three turnovers during Coe's scoreless run. Simpson went into the break with a 33-19 advantage after holding the Kohawks to their lowest scoring output between the four quarters with eight points.

Coe made adjustments at intermission that was showcased in a 10-2 run to open the second half. The hosts drained two triples to bring the game to 35-29, but the momentum was stalled as the Storm issued their own 10-2 spurt to widen the game once again to 45-31.

With the game at 56-46 at the start of the fourth, junior Chloe Van Vliet started a 6-0 run with a basket to begin the last frame. Kincaid went 5-for-7 from the field and poured in 11 points during the fourth quarter to help secure the victory.

Freshman Julia Wagoner registered five points in her first career game for the Storm and fellow freshmen Elizabeth Elfvin, Maggie Hall and Sophie Reed all made their debuts for the squad.

Up Next
Simpson begins American Rivers Conference play on Wednesday with the home opener against Nebraska Wesleyan. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.