NCMC Women Upended By Missouri Valley JV Squad

It was not the result the North Central Missouri College women’s basketball team envisioned when it stepped out on the floor on Tuesday night at the Ketcham Community Center. An 81-73 loss to the visiting Missouri Valley junior varsity wasn’t the first step backwards for a young learning team this season and it probably won’t be the last.
Turnovers and streaky shooting, two nemeses the Pirates have spent plenty of time battling this year, were present in the loss as North Central shot just 35 percent from the field and gave the ball away 24 times.
Hampered by a 17.6 percent shooting night from behind the three-point line and just a 62.5 percentage rate at the free throw line, the Pirates found consistent offense tough to come by. Allowing big first and third quarters on defense didn’t help either. Missouri Valley used a 27-point first quarter to set the tone and a 25-point outburst in the third made a Pirate comeback a long shot.
NCMC did get its standard production from its big three, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the ever-present flaws displayed by the Pirates throughout the night. Kortlyn Rounkles scored 30 points to go with seven rebounds and five steals. Lily Osborn had 15 points and three assists and Kennadie Kieffer had 10 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.
The loss dropped the NCMC women to 8-4 overall on the year and snapped a three-game winning streak for the Pirates.
The Pirate women will look to right the wrongs of the loss on Saturday, when they play host to Marshalltown Community College. Tipoff at the Ketcham Community Center is scheduled for 2 p.m.