Eureka Soars Over Iowa Wesleyan, 84-46
EUREKA, Ill. – Eureka College sophomore guard Kennedy Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) equaled a career high with 20 points, senior guard Hayley Reneau (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S./Illinois Central) also tallied 20 and all nine available Red Devils scored in EC's 84-46 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over Iowa Wesleyan, Saturday afternoon at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena.
Dura made the afternoon's first basket, a 3-pointer just 54 seconds into the action. EC's lead quickly swelled to 12-2 before the Tigers made their first field goal of the game at the 5:29 mark of the first quarter. The Red Devils' cushion was 20 when Samantha Sarnes (Havana, Ill./Havana H.S.) buried a triple to lead 26-6 with 1:42 remaining in the quarter. Dura's jumper on the final possession of the frame allowed Eureka to lead 30-8 after 10 minutes.
The Red Devils (10-5, 6-1 SLIAC) kept their foot on the gas pedal throughout the afternoon. Ellie Broyles (Champaign, Ill./Centennial H.S.) scored in the final minute of the first half to give Eureka a 47-18 at the break. The advantage was 67-36 at the end of the third quarter. The hosts claimed their widest margin midway through the final period when Reneau's basket made the score 80-39.
Dura shot 8-for-14 overall, 4-for-5 from 3-point range and swatted a career-high 4 blocked shots. Reneau was 7-for-17 overall, 5-for-7 at the free throw line and collected six steals. Sarnes netted 14 points off the bench and Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.) delivered her second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. The Red Devils overwhelmed IWU in the rebounding battle to the tune of a 54-33 advantage, allowing EC to hold a 32-14 edge on points scored in the paint.
Eureka has now won sixth consecutive league contests and trails unbeaten Greenville (6-0) by one game in the loss column for the SLIAC lead. Saturday's final 38-point margin was EC's largest against Iowa Wesleyan since a 101-56 rout of the Tiger in Mount Pleasant during the 1991-92 season.
Josie Zerrusen scored 17 points in 37 minutes for IWU (2-13, 2-5 SLIAC). The Tigers went 15-for-60 from the field, 4-for-24 from 3-point range and were credited with only three assists for the afternoon.
The Red Devils will continue SLIAC action Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Fontbonne in St. Louis, Mo.
