Big second half lifts Storm to win in 2022 finale

WAVERLY, Iowa – Molly Lutmer scored 19 points, Cassie Nash had 16 and the Simpson College women's basketball team outscored Northwestern 48-20 in the second half for an 81-45 victory in both the 2022 and nonconference finales.

Simpson's dominant second half was largely attributed to 9-for-17 shooting from 3-point land. The Storm (5-7) struggled from deep in the first 20 minutes but managed to carry an 8-point lead into the break thanks to 54.5 percent shooting inside the arc. The team was nearly impossible to stop in the third quarter, converting 6 of 9 3-pointers and 10 of 13 field goal attempts overall, and continued to pour it on in the fourth with 52.9 percent shooting from the floor.

For the second game in a row, Lutmer dominated the second half to propel the Storm to victory. She followed her 20-point second half from yesterday with 15 points fueled by four 3-point baskets including three on Simpson's final three possessions of the third quarter. The Storm knocked down six triples overall in the frame, with Morgan Pietig cashing in on two and Anna Wanek adding another.

Simpson grabbed its first 30-point lead of the game on a Cassie Nash layup with 6:16 remaining. The Eagles (5-7) went on a brief 6-3 run before the Storm defense cranked things up a notch and generated four turnovers in the final 2:07 to go ahead by as many as 38. Maddax DeVault turned two steals into four points during the stretch, while Claire Schmitz and Taylor Gienger each recorded a takeaway as well.

The Storm finished the game with 14 steals for the second day in a row. Nash led the team with four, using two in the opening minutes to aid Simpson to a quick 8-3 advantage. The Storm led 16-9 at the end of the first and 33-25 at intermission after closing the second on another 8-3 run powered by six points from Nash.

Three players scored in double-digits for the Storm including Lutmer (19), Nash (16) and Wanek (10). Dylan Holland corralled nine rebounds to lead the team, while Wanek contributed five boards and had a team-high four assists.

Up Next
Simpson will hit the floor for the first time in 2023 on Jan. 4 at Buena Vista. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Storm Lake.