BLANCHARDVILLE — Pecatonica had no answer for Iowa–Grant’s Olivia Liddicoat.
The Panthers’ fabulous freshman had it all working in Thursday night. She scored slashing to the basket, she scored in the post, she scored from the outside and she scored by getting to the free throw line. Liddicoat made 11 field goals, three from beyond the 3-point arc, and converted 9 of 14 from the charity stripe, pouring in a new career-high 34 points in just the seventh game of her high school career, to lead Iowa–Grant to a 62–25 non-conference victory over the Vikings.
She scored 17 in each half and punctuated her breakout performance with her third 3-pointer of the night to make it 60–19 late in the second half before taking a seat for the rest of the night. Liddicoat is now averaging 22.3 points per game through seven games for the Panthers. She began her career with a 28-point performance in a season-opening victory over Highland on Nov. 21, then piled up a game-high 33 points in a 10-point win over Boscobel on Dec. 2.
Iowa–Grant, now 5–2, raced out to a 33–19 halftime lead, but put the game away with its defensive effort in the second-half, limiting the winless Vikings (0–8) to just six points on three baskets in the final 18 minutes.
Senior point guard Emma Liddicoat scored all nine of her points in the first half, and fellow senior chipped in eight points in the victory.
Alexia Knutson and Krin Broshous had six points each to lead Pecatonica.
The Panthers are already nearing in on last year’s win total, after posting a 6–16 overall record in 2015–16, but coach Craig Jenkins really wants to make a move in the conference standings.
Last Tuesday, Jenkins’ Panthers suffered a 66–53 loss at league-leading Cuba City, the 10th-ranked team in Division 4.
The Cubans (5–1, 4–0 SWAL) shot lights out in the first half, making seven 3-pointers to build a 40–24 lead.
Sophomore guard Elizabeth Misky made a trio of 3-pointers and scored 17 of her game-high 24 points in the first half, and fellow sophomore Courtney Busch made four from downtown and scored 14 of her 15 points in the opening 18 minutes.
Iowa–Grant rallied in the second half behind the strong play of the Liddicoat sisters and senior Maddie Harmening’s 6 of 6 at the free throw line, but never could take the lead. The Cubans made 4 of 6 from the free throw line in the final two minutes to put the game out of reach.
Iowa–Grant will travel to Patch Grove Thursday to take part in the one-day River Ridge Tournament. The Panthers will play Kickapoo in their first game and either North Crawford or the host Timberwolves in their second game. I–G will return to conference play Tuesday, Jan. 3 at home against Mineral Point (6–3, 3–0 SWAL) in a makeup game that was snowed out on Saturday, Dec. 17.
Cuba City 66, Iowa-Grant 53
(from Tuesday, Dec. 20 @ Cuba City)
Iowa–Grant 24 29 — 53
Cuba City 40 26 — 66
Iowa–Grant (4–2, 2–1) — Olivia Liddicoat 15, Kassidy Schroeder 4, Trinity Spurley 2, Lauren Harmening 11, Emma Liddicoat 13, Sydney Lundell 4, Annie Spurley 2, Janie Rule 2. Totals — 20 12-14 53.
Cuba City (5–1, 4–0) — Morgan Vosberg 6, Elizabeth Misky 24, Megan Hartl 7, Parker Kopp 6, Courtney Busch 15, Kiera Holzemer 7, Jaydyn Reese 1. Totals — 23 13-23 66.
3-point goals — IG: 1 (E. Liddicoat 1); CC: 7 (Misky 3, Busch 4). Total fouls — IG: 21; CC: 22. Fouled out — IG: Harmening; CC: Vosberg, Misky.
Iowa-Grant 62, Pecatonica 25
(from Thursday, Dec. 22 @ Blachardville)
Iowa–Grant 33 29 — 62
Pecatonica 19 6 — 25
Iowa–Grant (5–2) — Olivia Liddicoat 34, Kassidy Schroeder 8, Maddie Harmening 1, Lauren Harmening 2, Emma Liddicoat 8, Annie Spurley 4, Carley Rider 4. Totals — 22 12-26 62.
Pecatonica (0–8) — Adriana Johnson 2, Abby Loomis 5, Jessica Erickson 4, Alexia Knutson 6, Joselyn White 2, Krin Brushous 6. Totals — 12 1-5 25.
3-point goals — IG: 6 (O. Liddicoat 3, Schroeder 2, E. Liddicoat 1); P: 0. Total fouls — IG: 10; P: 21. Fouled out — P: J. Erickson.
