Vanguard victory an inside job

Lions use their height advantage to roll to victory in title game of Surf City Classic.COSTA MESA -- The checklist of strategies aimed at knocking off the Vanguard University women’s basketball team lost another entry Friday night.

Morningside College of Iowa, the two-time defending NAIA Division II champion, ranked No. 4 in that division this season, started five guards and pressed relentlessly against the Lions.

Vanguard, ranked No. 1 in NAIA Division I, committed a season-high 25 turnovers. But the Lions utilized their size advantage to produce 50 points in the paint on their way to a 100-71 victory in the championship game of the Surf City Classic at Vanguard.

“We had 25 turnovers and still scored 100 points,” said Vanguard Coach Russ Davis.

“I have a lot of respect for [The Mustangs’] program and their coaches. They are very physical, they come after you and they don’t back down. Obviously, that has been very successful for them. But we knew we had a big size advantage. We told our kids to get the ball in to Kelly [Schmidt] and Rachel [Besse] and I thought we did that well.”

No Morningside starter was taller than 5-foot-9.

The 6-0 Schmidt, a two-time All-American, converted 11 of 20 field-goal attempts, all inside six feet, on her way to a game-high 32 points. Schmidt also produced a game-high 14 rebounds, including six offensive boards.

Besse, a 6-2 junior center, made 6 of 9 from the field on her way to 15 points.

The rest of the Lions (9-0) also seized the inside opportunities, as 22 of the team’s 31 field goals were layups. Other than four three-pointers -- all by sophomore Jessica Richter -- Vanguard’s five other non-layups came from between four and 10 feet.

The Lions’ ability to work the ball inside -- with passes from the wing, over the top from point guard Tiari Goold, or from the high post -- also helped produce 32 Morningside fouls.

Vanguard made 34 of 44 foul shots, infuriating Morningside Coach Jamie Sale, who picked up a pair of second-half technical fouls, earning him an ejection with 1:44 remaining.

“I was a little surprised that they didn’t think those were fouls,” Davis said of Sale’s consistent complaints to officials. “I don’t know how they call those games in Iowa, but if we played like that, we’d have to have about 25 players [to substitute for those who fouled out].”

Richter, who entered the week No. 2 in NAIA Division I at 27.6 points per game, finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and a team-high four steals.

Goold, averaging an NAIA-best 12 assists, had nine to go with seven points and three steals.

Andrea Jacobson, a 6-3 junior, came off the bench to contribute eight points and five rebounds. Melissa Cook also chipped in for the winners, totaling five points, four rebounds and five assists.

The Lions return to Golden State Athletic Conference action with three games next week, including a Jan. 7 home clash with No. 7-ranked The Master’s.

Morningside (12-4), had four scorers in double figures, led by Autumn Bartel with 14.

The Mustangs led, 14-12, before Vanguard scored 14 straight points to establish command. Morningside cut it to 53-41, but Vanguard scored the next eight, then answered a 5-0 Mustang run with another 8-0 run.

Surf City Classic

Championship game

Vanguard 100,

Morningside 71 Score by Halves