Jacelyn Starks
After giving up 68 points in the first half Wednesday, IU Columbus women’s basketball coach Dana Dunson challenged his team to keep Oakland City under 100 for the game.
The Crimson Pride did that, allowing only 31 points over the final two quarters, but the IUC offense had trouble scoring the final three quarters in a 99-41 loss in its River States Conference opener.
“It was a good challenge to where we had to at least play better defense,” Dunson said. “It wasn’t as good as we should because I have watched them in practice, and they are much better than that. I don’t know what I’m going to need to do to put a fire under them on defense. But we’ll figure it out, and it will happen. Next game, it will be showing. We will exhibit everything that we need to do, and the outcome is going to be better.”
IUC (1-7, 0-1) was within 14-14 midway through the first quarter after back-to-back 3-pointers by Jacelyn Starks. Another Starks 3-pointer brought the Crimson Pride within 24-20 late in the first, but the Oaks (5-3, 1-0) then went on an 18-0 run to take control.
Oakland City built the lead to 68-27 at halftime.
“They are a good team,” Dunson said. “That’s why they’re (picked) second in our conference. They’ve been that way for awhile. They have a lot of good players.”
Starks scored 13 of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter. Amaya Collins scored 14 points, and Abby Fleetwood had eight rebounds, four assists and four steals.
IUC travels to Grace Christian on Saturday to begin a four-game road trip. The next home game is Jan. 4 against Brescia.
“We just have to come together more as a team and grow up and decide that we are a basketball team,” Dunson said. “We can’t just come and just feel that we can just do one thing. I know by practice with this team that we’re better than what we are.”
