Grenadiers set school records in home opener win

Annie+Thomas%2C+sophomore+guard%2C+dribbles+the+ball+down+the+court+against+St.+Mary-of-the-Woods+in+the+Grenadiers+home+opener+on+Thursday%2C+Nov.+12.+Thomas+transferred+to+IU+Southeast+this+year+from+Henderson+State+University.+She+had+a+team-high+19+points+and+five+assists+in+the+win.

Photo Courtesy of Stephen Utz

Annie Thomas, sophomore guard, dribbles the ball down the court against St. Mary-of-the-Woods in the Grenadier’s home opener on Thursday, Nov. 12. Thomas transferred to IU Southeast this year from Henderson State University. She had a team-high 19 points and five assists in the win.

Parker Henes, Staff Reporter

The IUS women’s basketball team rolled past St. Mary-of-the-Woods in their home opener on Thursday, Nov. 12 by a score differential of 42 points. The Grenadiers broke 100 points, winning by a score of 121-79.

The Grenadiers scored the first 16 points of the game and held the Pomeroys scoreless for the first four minutes of the game. At half time, the Grenadiers had a 30 point lead.

The Grenadiers finished the game with six players scoring in double figures.

“We were sharing the ball and getting great shots,” head coach Robin Farris said. “Our decision making was very good tonight.”

Michaela Harris, junior guard, and Annie Thomas, sophomore guard, both had a team-high 19 points. Harris shot 7 of 11 from the field and had nine rebounds.

The other Grenadiers who scored in double figures were Josie Hockman, freshman forward, with 17 points, Baylee Krueger, freshman forward, with 14 points and Halea Petro, freshman guard, with 10 points.

Jocelyn Mousty, junior forward, scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.

“Rebounding was our biggest strength tonight,” Farris said. “There are a lot of rebounds to get when a team shoots a lot of threes like St. Mary’s did.”

The Pomeroys shot 54 3-pointers and only made 13 of them. As a team, the Pomeroys shot only 24 percent for the game.

Mary Dye, senior forward, had a game-high 16 rebounds. Kaylee Bennett, junior forward, had 10 rebounds off the bench. The Grenadiers had 77 rebounds as a team.

“We rebounded the ball very well,” Dye said. “Defensive rebounding was very important against St. Mary’s.”

The 77 rebounds that the Grenadiers grabbed is a single-game record for IU Southeast, a record that was set over 40 years ago. Tonight’s performance surpassed the Grenadiers’ previous record total of 72 against Earlham College in the 1976-77 season.

The Grenadiers had 59 defensive rebounds, which is also a new school record. This broke the record of 50 rebounds that was set against the St. Mary’s last season.

Farris said there is a lot that the Grenadiers can still improve on as a team. The Grenadiers committed 30 turnovers in Thursday night’s game. Farris said this can be fixed by practicing ball handling.

“When we get pressured, I want us to be able to handle the ball better,” Farris said.

The win puts the Grenadier’s record at 2-0 to start the season. With their first win at Alice Lloyd, they are also undefeated in the KIAC Conference.

The Grenadiers don’t have another home game until Monday, Dec. 4, when they play Berea College.