The Tigers only had six bodies available to go in the game, while the Reivers brought 13 players of their own, meaning the MCC women were in for a long night of hard play.

With both the advantage in numbers and advantage in height Iowa Western possessed, they were able to handle pretty much anything the Tigers through at them in a comfortable 68-50 win.

Marshalltown (8-15, 0-3) only managed 17 points by the end of the first half, though they came out well in the second and put up back-to-back quarters of 17 and 16 points respectively to close out, and Tigers head coach Steve Garber didn’t pull punches when it came to how he felt about his team’s offense in the first half.

“I thought the first half we stunk it up on the offense because we were playing selfishly, we were playing individually, the ball stopped, there was no continuity and we stunk,” Garber said, “Second half we started moving the ball and running the plays like they were supposed to be run and we scored just as much in the third quarter that we did the whole first half.”

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

Both Alyssa Roth and Loralei Siliga benefited from the improved offensive movement in the second half, as both finished the night with 18 points. Roth scored 16 of her 18 in the second, while Siliga netted nine in both halves.

Garber said the team is better served looking for the best shot, rather than having one person try to do it all.

“It’s just getting the kids to understand we play team basketball, run the plays, and quit trying to be a hero. You get better efficiency out of that,” he said.

Iowa Western (20-4, 3-0) was led by Jazza Johns with 13 points, while Kiara Dallmann had 11. In fact, the Reiver bigs combined to score 31 points in the game, and Garber said when you give up so much size to girls who are 6-foot and over, you have to play smarter defense.

“If we could have doubled a little more in the low-post area, that might have helped,” Garber said. “Then you leave a couple of their 3-point shooters open though, we are just out-matched in there. We held our ground, but when they dig you deep into the hole down there the game is over. We just have to play better individual post defense earlier as opposed to waiting down at the block.”

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

This was the first time since returning from the winter break that the Tiger women have dropped back-to-back games, and they have yet to win an ICCAC contest.

MCC will look to get back on the winning side on Wednesday when it hosts No. 14 DMACC at the Student Activity Center, starting at 5 p.m.

Iowa Western CC 68,

IOWA WESTERN CC (20-4, 3-0) — Jackson 1-4 0-0 3, Alnatas 4-7 0-0 9, Ania-Gaja 3-8 0-0 6, Johns 6-7 1-2 13, Dallmann 5-8 1-1 11, Williams 4-6 0-0 8, Mai 0-0 0-0 0, Floyd 2-5 2-2 6, Pardo 0-2 0-0 0, Nyauchi 2-3 1-2 5, Bull 3-6 1-2 7, Raflund 0-2 0-0 0. TOTALS 30-58 6-9 68.

MARSHALLTOWN CC (8-15, 0-3) — Kavanh 1-6 0-0 3, Morente 4-14 0-0 9, Roth 7-9 4-5 18, Siliga 5-18 7-7 18, Uceda 0-4 0-0 0, Jaumandreu 1-1 0-0 2. TOTALS 18-52 11-12 50.

IOWA WESTERN 20 14 24 10 — 68

MCC 8 9 17 16 — 50

3-Point Goals–Iowa Western 2-11 (Jackson 1-3, Alnatas 1-3, Dallmann 0-1, Williams 0-2, Pardo 0-2), MCC 3-21 (Kavanh 1-4, Morente 1-6, Siliga 1-9, Roth 0-1, Uceda 0-1). Rebounds–Iowa Western 37 (Jackson 8), MCC 25 (Siliga 7). Assists–Iowa Western 13 (three with 3), MCC 6 (Roth, Uceda 2). Total Fouls–Iowa Western 12, MCC 10. Technical Fouls–Ania-Gaja. Fouled Out–Siliga.