A solid defensive effort and a strong outing by the bench led the Riverland women’s basketball team to a 64-43 win over Minnesota West in Riverland Gym Saturday.

The Blue Devils (13-3 overall, 2-1 MCAC) opened the game on a 17-2 run and they held Minnesota West (5-13 overall, 0-3 MCAC) to 19 percent shooting on the night.

“Defense was the key,” RCC head coach Suzy Hebrink said after watching her team force 35 turnovers. “We’ve been really emphasizing disrupting offenses with our defense.”

The bench was a big part of the early run as Lizzie Gunter scored four points in 16 seconds off a a runner and a steal for a lay-up to make it 16-2 with 12:23 left in the first half. The Blue Jays never got within double digits the rest of the way.

“I just wanted to step up my game,” said Gunter, an Austin grad. “We haven’t been working as a team and that Ridgewater game just killed me. I just wanted to come back and show the fans what we’re really all about instead of that soft stuff we showed before.”

Gunter finished with nine points, three rebounds and two blocks, while hitting 4-of-6 from the field. RCC got 24 points from it’s reserves as freshman Trisha Boese scored six of her eight points in the first half.

“The bench was great,” Hebrink said. “They all came in and scored if they were open. It was collectively the best team effort we’ve had all year. I think those freshman are now relaxed enough were they can come in and play.”

RCC center Brooke Monson, who had 14 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, said the bench production made life easier for the whole team.

“When we can do it more as a team it’s easier. We’re gonna get extremely far if everyone can do there part,” Monson said.

Monson poured in 12 points in the second half after scoring just two in the first 20 minutes. She said the aggression of West’s Jerryann Thomas’ got her going.

“She was pushing me, elbowing me, and yelling at me. That pumped me up and you just want to dominate them when that happens,” Monson said.

West pulled to within 38-25 with 13:12 left in the contest, but the Blue Devils scored the next 10 points as they finished strong.

“It’s good that we have hard practices. They really pay off at the end of games, because we’re all in shape,” Gunter said.

Krissy Schemmel and Anna Hebrink each dished out five assists for RCC and Mandy May had five steals.

West 17 26 — 43

Riverland 32 32 — 64

Riverland scoring: Brooke Monson, 14; Anna Hebrink, 12; Lizzie Gunter, 9; Trisha Boese, 8; AunDreah Aune, 7; Mandy May, 5; Justine Sanvick, 4; field goals: 41 percent (25-for-61); three-pointers: 21 percent (3-for-14); free throws: 48 percent (11-for-23); rebounds: 39 (Monson, 12, Hebrink, 7); turnovers: 27

West scoring: Brittany Gravley, 14; Jerryann Thomas, 8; Ashley Kirk, 6; G.P. Vaske, 5; Rachel Pavelko, 4; Jenna Donkersloot, 2; Breanna Rients, 1; field goals: 19 percent (11-for-57); three-pointers: 33 percent (1-for-3); free throws: 57 percent (20-for-35); rebounds: 52 (Thomas, 13) turnovers: 35