Mt. Pleasant girls ice cold against Ottumwa

MT. PLEASANT — There was a lid on the rim for the Mt. Pleasant girls’ basketball team on Monday night.

The Panthers came into a home contest against Ottumwa having beaten the Bulldogs the last three times the two teams played, but the Panthers couldn’t get buckets to fall in a 43-34 loss.

Mt. Pleasant’s Tristian Shull hits a long shot for the Panthers in an otherwise cold shooting day against Ottumwa on Monday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)

The Panthers made just 11 of their 62 shot attempts in the defeat. They were 3-for-25 from 3-point range.

“They were giving it to us, and they were just going to tell us to beat us from the outside,” said Mt. Pleasant head coach Curt Watson. “We didn't shoot well.”

Mt. Pleasant’s Mackenzie Musselman takes a 3-pointer from the corner during the Panthers’ non-conference loss to Ottumwa on Monday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)

Mt. Pleasant trailed 9-6 after the first quarter and 17-14 in the second quarter. The Panthers rimmed out shot after shot in an attempt to even the game back up before halftime, but aside from one long ball by Kate Schimmelpfennig, the team saw early signs of cold performance.

In the second half, things got worse. Despite seven points from Andrea Lopreato in the final two quarters, the Panthers never had the game tied after halftime.

Mt. Pleasant’s Andi Scott lines up a shot against Ottumwa on Monday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)

“I just don’t think we ran the offense like we should have,” said Watson. “We were settling for the first pass and then launching a 3.”

Lopreato scored on a put-back layup to cut the Ottumwa lead to 36-30 with 2 minutes and 48 seconds remaining in the game, but the Bulldogs answered right back, something they had a habit of doing throughout the second half.

Mt. Pleasant’s Andrea Lopreato puts up a shot against a pair of Ottumwa defenders on Monday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)

“I watched their tape against Fort Madison and they couldn't buy a bucket,” Watson said. “Tonight, I thought they shot really well.”

Ottumwa sophomore Camdyn Crouse, who scored just nine points in Ottumwa’s previous game, erupted for 20 to help put the Panthers away.

Lopreato scored 12 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead Mt. Pleasant. Schimmelpfennig finished with six.

Mt. Pleasant’s Hailey Parrott handles the ball during the Panthers’ home loss to Ottumwa on Monday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)

Tristian Shull had five points and four steals in the loss. Andi Scott had five points. Hailey Parrott scored four, and Alex Scott finished with two.

Mt. Pleasant is now 0-2 on the year. They will travel to Fort Madison (2-0) on Friday night.