Even though his team scored 100 points, Three Rivers women's coach Alex Wiggs was more happy with the performance on the other end of the court Wednesday night.
The Raiders had five players with multiple steals, four blocked a shot each and Three Rivers rolled to a 102-49 win over Dyersburg State (Tenn.) at the Libla Family Sports Arena.
"We practice defense more than we practice offense," said Three Rivers sophomore Karlee Holland.
The Raiders (2-0) held Dyersburg State (0-1) to 34% shooting from the field, forced 24 turnovers with 18 steals and allowed 20 first-half points.
Autumn Dodd, Myia Yelder and Ahniya Melton each had four steals to lead Three Rivers.
Jenna McMillen, a true freshman from Mayflower, Arkansas, scored a game-high 20 points off the bench.
"It's good. The win felt good but we're already preparing for (Saturday)," said McMillen who was 8 of 9 from the field, sinking all three 3-point attempts.
The eighth-ranked Raiders will host 13th-ranked Wabash Valley (Ill.) at 3 p.m. Saturday before another 3 p.m. tipoff Sunday against Olney Central (Ill.).
"We can put points up in a hurry," Wiggs said. "Luckily they have bought into the defensive side of things."
Yelder, who missed the season opener Monday, scored 19 with five assists and five rebounds. The All-American shot 7 of 10 from the field and rebounded two of those misses for putbacks in the first half as the Raiders finished with 21 second-chance points.
Holland, who scored 14 with five rebounds, also made her season debut after an ankle injury in the team's last preseason scrimmage.
The Raiders were still missing three players, including All-American Chaylea Mosby, Gracie Price and Deja Pryor.
"We just need people to step up and they stepped up," Holland said.
Dodd scored 17 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the field while Ari Winston added 11 points and had three assists as the Raiders had 21 assists on 39 field goals.
In Monday's 84-66 win at Williams Baptist, the Raiders shot 44% from the field, including 3 of 11 from 3-point range.
Shooting on the home rims, the Raiders were 14 of 31 from 3-point range and hit 56% from the field.
"Once the first one went in — I remember it bounced off the rim weird — I was like it felt too good not to go in and then it bounced in," said McMillen. "I was like OK. From there it just felt too good."
The Raiders scored their first six points after offensive rebounds and were up 9-0 before the Eagles had gotten off a shot. Winston got a block on a rushed shot as the shot clock closed in on zero. State had a shot-clock violation on its second possession before a steal by Dodd.
The Eagles finally got off a shot 3:24 after tipoff but didn't score until the 5:24 mark when KK Howard, who led with 18 points off the bench, scored in the paint.
Consecutive steals by Smith led to baskets and a 14-2 lead but the Raiders didn't score over the next 2:42.
State put together a 10-0 run to get within a bucket but Dodd sank the back end of two foul shots for a 15-12 lead before Melton tipped the ball to Dodd who ended up back at the foul line. After hitting both free throws, Dodd picked off a pass and scored at the other end. Yelder's steal and pass set up Dodd's jumper for a 21-12 lead at the end of the quarter.
"We had a little dry spell there in the first but coming out in that second, we outscored them 35-8," Wiggs said.
Three Rivers scored the first 10 points of the second quarter and the final seven of the half, holding the Eagles scoreless over the final 2:28.
The half ended with Holland picking off a cross-court pass and racing to the other end, beating the buzzer for a 56-20 advantage.
Kourtney Kenrick's 3 with 1:55 left in the third put the Raiders up 50 and Three Rivers took an 82-35 lead into the fourth. McMillen set up Abby Turner's basket at the 2:07 mark as Three Rivers reached 100 points.
The Raiders scored 100-plus five times last season, including a 110-60 home opening win.
Brian Rosener - Daily American Republic
