OTTUMWA — A little pressure defense went a long way for the Ottumwa girls’ basketball team.

The Bulldogs hounded Marshalltown to the tune of 20 steals and defeated the visiting Bobcats 63-28 in Monday’s cross-CIML game at Evans Middle School.

In all, the Bobcats had more turnovers than field-goal attempts in suffering their seventh-straight defeat after winning the season-opening contest at Des Moines North.

Grace Bookin-Nosbisch came off the bench to compile 13 points and nine rebounds in leading the Bulldogs (3-6) to their first win in the last 10 days. Kacy Nickerson added 10 points for Ottumwa, which broke open a close game by holding Marshalltown to single-digit scoring in each period.

“We’ve got to shoot more,” said MHS head coach Stacy O’Hare. “When you have more turnovers than shot attempts, it’s a little tough.”

Grace Metzger led the Bobcats (1-7) with 11 points and eight rebounds, connecting on both of Marshalltown’s successful 3-pointers in the decisive loss. Madi Finch finished with six points, Erica Johnson added five, Kassy Vest tallied four points and Alyvia Chadderdon chipped in two.

“I thought Grace played really well, and last Friday as well,” said O’Hare.

The Bobcats were within 16-9 after the first quarter, but the scoring ratio remained roughly the same as the game continued, leaving MHS in the Bulldogs’ dust.

Kaylee Bix and Katie Nelson both had four of Ottumwa’s 20 steals.

“We don’t do well with pressure,” O’Hare added. “I didn’t think we were ever in an offense in the first half. We never got past the first step up it.”

The next step for MHS is tonight’s home game against Des Moines East (3-5) at the Roundhouse. The Scarlets defeated Ottumwa 44-28 on Friday night.

“Des Moines East is a lot better than Ottumwa, and Ottumwa is a team we believed we could compete with,” said O’Hare. “Tonight’s outcome … I didn’t expect this.

“It’s going to be tough with back-to-back games, and we don’t have the numbers to do it. … Knowing it’s the last game of the first half of the season, we’ve just got to go out and play.”

Ottumwa 63, Marshalltown 28

At Ottumwa

MARSHALLTOWN (1-7) — Alyvia Chadderdon 1 0-0 2, Erica Johnson 1 3-3 5, Madi Finch 2 2-2 6, Kassy Vest 2 0-0 4, Grace Metzger 4 1-2 11, Kyra Feldman 0 0-0 0, Jade Tejada 0 0-0 0, Aida Almanza 0 0-0 0, Priscila Vergara 0 0-0 0, Gabby Himes 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 10 6-7 28.

OTTUMWA (3-6) — Lily Anderson 2 3-4 7, Morgan Greiner 3 2-5 8, Kaylee Bix 3 0-0 6, Alli Bookin-Nosbisch 1 0-0 3, Kacy Nickerson 2 5-6 10, Helen Altfillisch 1 2-4 4, Katie Nelson 1 2-2 4, Carollin Mellin 0 0-0 0, Grace Bookin-Nosbisch 4 5-8 13, Chloe Schneckloth 0 0-0 0, Keely Birk 4 0-0 8, Macy Duff 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 21 19-29 63.

MHS 9 8 7 4 — 28

OTTUMWA 16 18 14 15 — 63

3-Point Goals–MHS 2 (Metzger 2), Ottumwa 2 (A. Bookin-Nosbisch, Nickerson). Total Fouls–MHS 20, Ottumwa 11. Fouled Out–none.