Simpson moves past Buena Vista on senior day

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- After a tough opening first quarter for the Simpson women's basketball team, the Storm exploded for 28 points in the second stanza to pull away to a 76-56 victory against Buena Vista on Saturday.

The Beavers (1-24, 0-16 A-R-C) executed a 9-2 opening run to grab the lead and looked to snap a 21-game losing skid in the process. Simpson (18-7, 10-6 A-R-C) responded by reeling off a 11-2 scoring spree to take a one-point lead before Kia Rasmussen hit her only 3-pointer of the game to widen the gap to four.

Claire Johnson started the second stanza with a layup and free throw after drawing contact for the 3-point play. Johnson's "and-one" started a 9-0 run for Simpson. Later in the period, Cassie Chubb scored back-to-back baskets for the offense to push the tilt to 16 at 31-15, which later grew to 21 on another triple by Chubb. The Storm went into the break ahead at 45-23.

In the first half, Buena Vista was held to a 37.5% shooting clip from the floor after making just three shots in the second period. Simpson heated up in the second by going 11-for-16 and 3-for-5 from long range. Chubb paced the offense with 11 points and Cassie Nash was nearby with 10.

The Beavers opened the scoring lid in the third, but Cameron Kincaid halted the momentum by scoring the team's next four points of a 6-2 spurt. The game sat at 51-25 for Simpson's largest tilt of the contest at 26. The visitors clawed back to bring the matchup to a 20-point buffer on two occasions the rest of the period, but couldn't get over the hump.

A 7-0 run from the end of the third through the start of the fourth placed Buena Vista in a 17-point deficit. Johnson and Kincaid provided the offense to push the advantage back over 20, before the visitors dipped it to 18, but Nash used her speed for a layup to put the lead back to 20. Just like the end of the third, the Beavers were unable to get within 20 points the rest of the game.

Chubb led the team with 14 points, and Kincaid and Nash each had 12. The starters were able to rest for the majority of the game as 15 players saw action, with 10 recording a point. This is the second time all season the Storm have not made over 7 triples in a game as the offense ended with five makes.

After the game ended, Simpson honored its six seniors; Madie Bacon, Cassie Chubb, Maddie Glascock, Claire Johnson, Allyson Simpson and Megan Todd.

Up Next
The American Rivers Conference Tournament starts on Tuesday as the Storm head to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to take on Coe. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.