Statesmen Top Baker to Surpass Last Season’s Win Total

Oskaloosa — The William Penn women's basketball team surpassed last season's win total Saturday, earning its fifth victory with a 72-65 Heart of America Athletic Conference win over Baker.

The Statesmen (5-9, 2-4 Heart) outshot the Wildcats (2-9, 1-5) 44.6% to 43.5% and held a narrow rebounding edge, 39-37.

William Penn capitalized on those extra possessions, scoring 17 second-chance points compared to Baker's seven.

Baker struggled to protect the ball, committing 18 turnovers compared to 14 for WPU, which led to the Statesmen holding a 21-14 advantage in points off turnovers.

Kayla Jones (Sr., Louisville, Ky., Psychology) opened the scoring on the Statesmen's first possession and later knocked down the game's first 3-pointer to give William Penn a 7-0 lead.

Jones finished with 10 points for the navy and gold.

William Penn maintained control for much of the opening quarter before Baker trimmed the margin to 19-14 on a jumper in the final seconds.

Reagan Pavesi (Jr., Austin, Texas, Wellness and Recreation) opened the second-quarter scoring with a basket to extend the lead to 22-16.

Pavesi finished with 11 points, shooting 4 of 6 from the field and 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.

Baker continued to chip away and briefly took a 26-25 lead with 3:17 remaining in the half. Dekota Smith (Jr., Toledo, Ohio, Computer Science) answered with a layup to regain the lead, and Kayla Peoples (Sr., Waco, Texas, Nursing) followed with a jumper to put the Statesmen ahead 29-26 at halftime.

Smith recorded a double-double, finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead the team in both categories.

Peoples added 13 points and a team-high five assists.

William Penn pulled away in the third quarter, pushing its lead to 51-32 by the end of the period. Neva'eh Diaz-Doolin (Fr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Biology) played a key role in the surge, finishing the day with 14 points and seven rebounds.

Smith opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a layup, followed shortly by another from Diaz-Doolin, extending the lead to a game-high 55-32.

The Statesmen stayed out of foul trouble throughout the contest, committing just 12 fouls. Baker finished with 20 fouls and attempted only six free throws, converting three. William Penn went 9 of 17 from the free-throw line.

Baker was unable to overcome the deficit as the Statesmen fended off a late comeback attempt.

"Big-time win for our program today," head coach Sheawn Bedford Jr. said. "Our defense set the tone from the start, which helped us get into a rhythm on offense. Kayla Peoples, Dekota and Neva'eh were outstanding all game. Proud of this team — we handled adversity well and got the job done."

Next up: William Penn returns to action after the holiday break on Saturday, Jan. 3, traveling to Peru, Neb., to face Peru State in Heart Conference play at 2 p.m.