Women's Basketball Leads Wire to Wire in Home Opener Win

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, ill. (11/16/2024) — The Monmouth College women's basketball team never trailed in a 63-57 win over Westminster College on Friday night in the home opener. The Fighting Scots (1-1) got points from all nine players who saw the court and led by as many as 12 in the wire-to-wire victory.

Averi Rangel (Moline, Illinois) knocked down a 3-pointer for the first points of the game and Olivia Dinges (Amboy, Illinois) made a free throw. Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) made two free throws and Rangel drilled another 3-pointer for a 9-5 lead. Brooklyn Sellers (Freeport, Illinois) made two free throws for an 11-6 lead, Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) made a layup and Madi Finch (Aledo, Illinois) made a free throw for a 13-8 lead.Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) made a layup and the Scots led 15-8 after the first quarter.

"We came out strong and I'm really happy with the way we played early," said head coach Michelle Decoud. "We stayed composed and got a lot of the looks we wanted to get."

Dinges made a jumper early in the second quarter after the Bluejays hit a pair of free throws. Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois) made a layup as did Finch as the Scots maintained a 7-point lead halfway through the quarter. Hoy scored again and Delaney Scheidenhelm (New Berlin, Illinois) made two free throws for a 25-18 lead. Jones stepped through a double-team for a layup and then made another bucket after a Stearns steal. Goodrich hit a jumper with a minute left in the half for a 31-20 lead.

Jones and Goodrich scored early in the third quarter for Monmouth and Finch added a layup for a 37-28 lead. Hoy restored the 11-point lead with a layup before Westminster went on a 6-0 run. Goodrich converted a 3-point play then stole the ball and fed Jones for a 3-point play as the lead went back to 11 at 45-34. The Scots got three offensive rebounds on one possession as Goodrich scored for a 47-37 lead at the end of the quarter.

Dinges made two free throws on Monmouth's first possession of the fourth quarter to push the lead to a game-high 12. The Bluejays hit a 3-pointer and a bucket for a 5-0 run before Jones hit a driving layup. Jones stole the ball and got fouled on a layup, making one free throw before the Bluejays hit a 3-point play. The visitors cut the lead to six before Stearns buried a 3-point for a 55-46 lead halfway through the quarter.

"We answered a bunch of their runs and we were always ready for the next play," said Decoud. "We never threw in the towel we were onto the next play and what we needed to accomplish"

A series of turnovers helped Westminster make a 7-0 run as they cut the lead to 55-53 before Dinges made two free throws with 1:27 to play. Westminster missed a shot in the lane and Stearns hit one free throw with 1:06 left for a 58-53 lead. After the Bluejays scored, Rangel split free throws with 41 seconds left. Westminster missed two shots and turned the ball over before Stearns made two free throws with 23.9 left. Westminster cut the lead to 61-57 with 16.8 to play and Stearns made both free throws again. The Bluejays missed their final shot and the Scots ran out the clock for the 63-57 win.

"Kynlee making those free throws and being 6-for-6, really came through at the end," said Decoud. "We were there for each other defensively tonight as good helpers and we took care of assignments tonight."

Jones led the Scots with 14 points while Goodrich had an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. Stearns had nine points while Rangel added seven and Dinges chipped in six. Stearns and Dinges both had eight rebounds. Jones led the Scots with three assists while Stearns had six steals.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Goodrich also had 11 rebounds last year against Eureka ... This was her first career double-double ... tearns had career highs in rebounds and steals ... Her six steals are the most by a Monmouth player since Tarae Warner had seven on Jan. 28, 2022 against Lake Forest ... Stearns was also 6-for-6 at the line ... The Scots made 20-of-28 at the line ... Monmouth outrebounded Westminster 48-33 and won the offensive boards battle 17-9 ... The Scots held the Bluejays to 30.9% shooting overallAll nine Monmouth players that saw action scored at least two points... The game had no lead changes and no ties ... The Scots are 2-4 all-time against Westminster, ending a 3-game losing streak ... The Bluejays won 72-53 last year at Greenville ... The win ended a 14-game losing streak overall that dated back to Dec. 31, 2023 and ended a 13-game home losing streak that dated back to Feb. 4, 2023 against Grinnell ... The Scots play Greenville at 3 p.m. Saturday in Glennie Gym.