WARTBURG | Kelsey Pike scored 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds, Elli West added 13 points, and Annaleah Terry reached double-digits on the boards, with 10, as Oneida rolled to a 62-38 win over Wartburg in Friday's return to play after the Christmas break.
The Lady Indians used a big fourth quarter to put the game away, out-scoring the Bulldogs 27-14 after it was a 35-24 game going into the final period.
Wartburg out-shot Oneida, 39% to 37%, on its home floor. But the Bulldogs struggled mightily to get shot attempts, with only 41 field goal tries compared to Oneida's 62. That was due to the Lady Indians' withering defensive pressure, which forced Wartburg into 30 turnovers.
Leading the way defensively were Pike and Braelyn Russ, each recording four steals. Ali Smith and Raylie Bush had three steals each. Oneida had 19 steals as a team.
Oneida finished nine of 13 from the free throw line. Wartburg went to the line just three times, making all of them.
It was a relatively low-scoring and relatively close first quarter, one that found Oneida on top 10-6 when it ended.
But the Lady Indians began to pull away in the second quarter, doubling Wartburg's offensive output to take a 24-13 lead to the intermission.
Oneida was unable to widen its lead in the third quarter, as Wartburg matched the Lady Indians blow for blow.
But the fourth quarter saw Oneida surge, with 27 points in the final period.
With the win, Oneida took sole possession of the District 4-A lead. The two teams entered the night as the district's last two unbeatens, having both scored wins over Coalfield.
ONEIDA (62): Pike 20, West 13, Bush 8, Elmore 8, Smith 5, Russ 2, Shoemaker 2, Kline 2, Martin 2.
WARTBURG (38): Ledford 14, Hood 11, Williams 6, Sherrill 3, Shadden 2, Stafford 2.
