By Chad Courrier
ST PETER — If you want an open, uncontested shot against the Gustavus Adolphus women’s basketball team, you’d better take advantage of the pregame or halftime warmup sessions.
Once the game gets started, there’s going to be a player, or two, in your face, grabbing at the ball, looking for the steal.
“We’re a year older, and we’re more used to playing high-intensity, in-your-face defense,” Gustavus coach Mickey Haller said. “We want to be on the ground for every loose ball, we’re shooting (the passing lanes) a little more, which makes our help-side defense better so we can be more aggressive on the ball.”
Gustavus opened the home schedule Monday by defeating Wartburg College 79-63 in a nonconference game at Gus Young Court. Using a swarming, trapping man-to-man defense, the Gusties forced 20 turnovers, which led to 30 points on layups.
“It’s a lot of fun when we’re working together,” sophomore guard Molly Geske said. “We got a great start because of our defense.”
Gustavus trailed 5-4 after three minutes but went on a 12-point run, with 3-pointers by Julia Schultz and Geske and three driving hoops, to take an 11-point run at the 14:22 mark.
“It’s always fun when we’re working together,” Geske said. “Driving is part of our offense.”
Wartburg cut the margin to eight points with 7:30 remaining in the first half, but the Gusties picked up the pace again with a 16-3 burst, with four layups coming off passes from teammates.
“With our guards, we feel like we can penetrate more,” Haller said. “This group knows how to work the ball. Sometimes you have to pass up a good shot to get a great shot. I don’t want us to just run down and take the first shot. That’s not good basketball.”
Wartburg came back within 44-33 at halftime, despite making 12 turnovers and shooting 42.9 percent. Gustavus shot 57.6 percent, getting several easy baskets in transition. Molly Mathiowetz had 12 points and six rebounds at the break.
After Gustavus stretched the lead to 17 early in the second half, Wartburg rallied to within 54-45 at the 12-minute mark. But Geske hit a driving hoop and 3-pointer, and the Gusties led comfortably the rest of the way.
Gustavus finished the game shooting 46.8 percent and made 10 of 29 from 3-point range. The Gusties had only 10 turnovers and forced 20, making 14 steals.
Brianna Radtke led the Gusties with 18 points and eight rebounds, and Geske added 18 points, six rebounds and four steals. Mathiowetz finished with 14 points and seven boards, and Schultz scored 10.
Wartburg shot 42.9 percent in each half but had 13 fewer attempts than Gustavus, which was plus-7 in rebounding.
Gustavus (1-1) plays another nonconference game Monday at Wisconsin-Eau Claire. On Saturday, the Gusties lost 69-37 at Division II Augustana.
“We missed 17 layups, and after looking at the film, it wasn’t like they were in our faces. We just missed,” Haller said. “But I think that was just jitters. I love playing them because they exposed all of our blunders so we knew what we had to work on.”
WARTBURG COLLEGE 63
Weidemann 2-5 3-5 7, Silvey 3-5 6-7 13, Reiter 1-4 0-0 2, Harrington 2-5 0-0 6, Hempen 4-9 0-0 12, Rogers 0-1 0-0 0, Wilson 4-5 0-0 8, Riley 0-3 0-0 0, Miller 0-0 2-2 2, Teubel 0-2 0-0 0, Timmermans 3-4 0-2 6. Zittergruen 2-6 3-4 7. Totals: 21-49 14-20 63.
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS 76
Radtke 5-13 9-10 19, Steffenhagen 2-3 0-0 4, Schultz 4-7 1-1 10, Gaard 0-0 0-0 0, Ruane 2-5 0-0 4, Geske 7-15 1-2 18, Perry 1-4 0-0 3, Mathiowetz 6-9 2-5 14, Rothenbuehler 1-5 0-0 3, Layman 1-1 2-2 4. Totals: 29-62 15-20 76.
Halftime: Gustavus 44, Wartburg 33. 3-point shooting: Wartburg 7-19 (Silvey 1-1, Reiter 0-3, Harrington 2-5, Hempen 4-8, Riley 0-2), Gustavus 10-29 (Radtke 0-2, Steffenhagen 0-1, Schultz 1-3, Ruane 0-1, Geske 3-7, Perry 1-2, Rothenbuehler 1-3). Rebounds: Wartburg 30 (Timmermans 8), Gustavus 37 (Radtke 8). Assists: Wartburg 8 (Wilson 2), Gustavus 13 (Radtke, Schultz, Mathiowetz 3). Steals: Wartburg 6 (Silvey, Wilson 2), Gustavus 14 (Geske 4). Turnovers: Wartburg 20, Gustavus 10. Total fouls: Wartburg 14, Gustavus 19. Fouled out: none. Technical foul: Wartburg (coach Bob Amsberry).
Attendance: 361.
