LEWISTON, Idaho – In its best shooting performance against a conference foe this season, the Lewis-Clark State College women’s basketball team swooshed and banked its way to a season high scoring total and a 100-55 rout over the University of Montana Western on Saturday night. As only befitting on Senior Night, LCSC’s lone senior Nikki DePeel (left) had a career night on the offensive end of the floor to lead the charge.
DePeel was 6-of-8 from long range and finished with 31 points—her highest total in the two years she’s played at LCSC and the most by any Warrior so far this season. DePeel also was 8-of-9 at the foul line after entering the game ranked sixth in the NAIA with a free throw clip of 86.3.
The Warriors shot 55.7 percent from the field in the game which is the best they’ve shot against a conference foe this season, and is the second highest percentage they’ve shot against all opponents. Saturday also marked the first time the Warriors have reached triple figures in scoring since they topped Walla Walla University 105-39 on Nov. 17, 2007.
DePeel wasn’t without help as both Alyssa Fierro and Jasmine Stohr also put up big numbers on the night. Feirro finished with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Stohr collected 17 points, four assists, and four steals.
Kirsi Voshell finished with six points and three rebounds, but a more noteworthy statistic was the block she made in the second half. Voshell now has 53 blocks on the season and is tied with Katarina Gabaniova for the program record.
The win lifts the Warriors to 23-4 overall and 9-2 in the conference, while Montana Western drops to 7-17 and 3-8.
Both halves of Saturday’s game told the same story. LCSC shot a high percentage and forced a lot of turnovers to outscore Western 51-26 in the first half and then 49-29 in the second.
LCSC, ranked No. 11 in the NAIA and attempting to rebound from a 70-66 loss to Montana Tech on Thursday night, forced Montana Western into 30 turnovers and scored 39 points off of those miscues.
The Warriors were 11-of-23 from 3-point territory—their most makes this season.
Montana Western, which fell to LCSC 72-56 earlier this season, was led by Laura Geis who had 22 points and five rebounds. Stephanie Dana was the only other Bulldog to score in double figures as she dropped in 11. Western shot 45.5 percent in the game.
LCSC will play its final three games of the regular season on the road beginning with a trip to Carroll College on Thursday and then a game at Rocky Mountain College on Saturday. The regular season will climax with a trip to face league-leading Westminster College on Feb. 27.
