Martin’s 25 leads IW past MacMurray

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. -- The Iowa Wesleyan women's basketball team traveled to Jacksonville, Illinois to take on MacMurray College on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers were able to pick up their second straight win, defeating the Highlanders by a score of 66-56 with the help of a career high 25 points from Deericka Martin.

Martin had the hot hand for the Tigers to start the game. She scored the first 8 points with two three pointers and a jumper. MacMurray tied the game up at 8-8, but Deericka Martin once again sank a three-pointer to put IW in front. Baskets by Jordanne Mickley and Harriet Fowler gave Iowa Wesleyan a seven-point lead with 3:15 left in the opening period. Despite the MacMurray closing the first quarter with a 5-4 advantage, the Tigers took a six-point lead into the second quarter.

Darby Massner gave IW their first points of the second quarter with a jumper at the 8:23 minute mark. After a scoreless stretch of over two minutes by both teams, Madison Scholl sank a three pointer to give Iowa Wesleyan a 24-15 lead. Martin and Allie Massner scored the final five points of the half for the Tigers, giving IW a 10-point lead at the break.

MacMurray heated up in the third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 24-16 in the period. Iowa Wesleyan made two fewer field goals than the Highlanders in the third quarter, and MacMurray made had a 5-1 advantage at the free throw line. Although they were outscored, Iowa Wesleyan was able to maintain a two-point lead as they headed to the fourth quarter.

The Tigers defense stepped up in the final period, holding the Highlanders to just three field goals in the fourth quarter. Martin hit a three pointer to kick off the scoring, and after a free throw by MacMurray, she made a layup with 7:47 left to play to put IW up by six. With just under four-and-a-half minute remaining, the game was tied at 52-52. Scholl broke the tie with a layup and Emily Hammel hit a jumper with 3:42 to go to put IW up by three. Iowa Wesleyan closed the game on a 10-2 run to secure the 66-56 win over the Highlanders.

Martin finished the game with a career high 25 points on 10-20 shooting from the field. She was 5-11 from behind the arc and added four steals and four assists. Fowler was the only other Tiger to reach double digit scoring in the win. She nearly had a triple-double after finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists for IW.

The Tigers will be on the road once again for their next game. They will take on Greenville University tonight (Wendesday), at 5:30 p.m. IW is now 3-8 overall and 2-4 in SLIAC play.