Blazers Handle Storm, 80-63

St. Cloud Times March 3, 2005

March 3, 2005

Justine Richels wouldn't go so far as to label herself a 3-point specialist. But the College of St. Benedict junior readily admits it's her favorite shot.

Tuesday night, it was her teammates' favorite, too. The Breckenridge graduate went 4-for-6 from beyond the arc — including three straight 3-pointers to spark a key second-half run — as the Blazers downed Simpson 80-63 in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament at Claire Lynch Hall.

"I guess it's my favorite shot to take," said Richels, who finished with 12 points off the bench and has a team-best 36 3-pointers this season. "It's the easiest. It's the same distance all the way around."

St. Benedict (23-4 overall) advanced to face Buena Vista (25-2), which had a bye, in the second round at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Storm Lake, Iowa. The Storm, who qualified for the NCAA tournament by winning the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason title, finished 22-7 overall.

"We lost her," Simpson coach Brian Niemuth said of Richels. "She was somebody we talked about in the pregame. They bring her in and the one thing she does is shoot the 3. But somehow we lost track of her defensively and she had some open looks."

The Blazers took advantage of their size against the Storm, which had only two players at least 6 feet tall. Junior post Anna Heikenen, who is 5-11, led St. Benedict with 25 points and eight rebounds. Senior post Kim Johnson, who is 6-4, finished with seven points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots. Classmate Tara Schloe, who is 6-2, had six rebounds and two blocks. Sophomore Ellie Boone, who is 6-0, had six rebounds and three blocks.

Sophomore guard Darby Noreen added 13 points, including three 3-pointers.

"Kim and Tara and Ellie came up with block after block tonight," said sophomore wing Jen Dalhed, whose 3-pointer jump-started a 13-2 game-opening run. "That helped a lot, and on the offensive end, we can always count on them to get inside and hit some shots. That made a big difference."

After its slow start, Simpson came back to cut the gap to as little as two late in the first half, and to just five at halftime. But the Blazers began the second half on a 15-6 run to jump on top 48-34. The Storm again answered back and had cut the margin to as little as three, at 50-47 with 11:42 to play, when Heikenen hit a pair of free throws and Richels followed with three straight 3-pointers.

It was the beginning of a 16-2 run that put the game out of reach.

"She shoots the 3-pointer the way some people do layups," St. Benedict coach Mike Durbin said. "She's that good of a shooter."

Simpson, which entered play averaging more than 16 steals per game, used its press to record 11 and force 20 turnovers. But St. Benedict had 10 steals and forced the Storm to turn the ball over 19 times.

"We played in-your-face defense," Richels said. "We didn't let them get many open looks and we hustled as much as we could."

"Basketball is a game of runs," Johnson said. "You hit a few shots and you get tired. Then they hit a few shots and they get tired. It's the team that limits its mistakes and makes its big run last that gets the win. Tonight, that was us."

SIMPSON (63)

Dana Johnson 1-3 1-2 3 (5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals), Kristi Prostine 2-5 0-0 5 (2 rebounds, 2 assists), Tessa Van Oosbree 0-1 0-0 0, Heather Kay 3-8 6-6 12 (7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), Ashley Hansen 4-11 1-2 9 (2 rebounds), Jessica Schultz 0-1 1-2 1 (5 assists, 3 rebounds), Carlie Beals 4-7 0-0 11, Ashley Bogaards 3-14 5-6 11 (6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists), Katelyn Whiton 4-8 0-0 8, Kara Denoon 0-0 0-0 0, Sarah Pearson 1-4 1-2 3 (4 rebounds). Totals: FG 22-62, FT 15-20, REB 37, TO 19, PF 16.

ST. BENEDICT (80)

Darby Noreen 4-7 2-2 13, Jen Dalhed 2-5 0-0 5 (5 assists), Katie Kempe 2-6 7-8 11 (6 assists, 2 steals), Anna Heikenen 7-13 11-11 25 (8 rebounds, 3 steals), Kim Johnson 3-7 0-0 7 (12 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 assists, 3 steals), Laura Zwach 1-2 0-0 3, Angela Merkling 1-1 0-0 2, Tara Schloe 0-4 0-0 0 (6 rebounds, 2 blocks), Justine Richels 4-6 0-0 12, Ellie Boone 1-2 0-0 2 (6 rebounds, 3 assists). Totals: FG 25-53, FT 20-21, REB 37, TO 20, PF 15.

3-point goals: S — 4-7 (Prostine 1-1, Beals 3-5, Bogaards 0-1); SB — 10-20 (Kempe 0-3, Dalhed 1-2, Noreen 3-6, Johnson 1-2, Zwach 1-1, Richels 4-6); Fouled out: none; Technical fouls: none; Deadball rebounds: S 7, SB 2; Bench points: S 34, SB 19; Attendance: 850; Halftime score: SB 33, S 28.

Athletic Department
College of Saint Benedict
37 South College Avenue
St. Joseph, MN 56374
320-363-5301
Fax 320-363-6098