Lions earn record-matching 39th straight MVC win (VIDEO)

MARION -- Storms weathered. Streak extended.

Class 4A third-rated Linn-Mar matched the longest Mississippi Valley Conference girls' basketball winning streak in league history, holding No. 5 Iowa City West to 21-percent shooting in a 63-49 triumph Tuesday night at Linn-Mar High School.

The Lions (10-0 overall, 6-0 MVC) claimed their 39th straight MVC win. Cedar Rapids Washington compiled a 39-game MVC win streak from 1993 to 1995.

"It's a nice thing for the kids, but it's not something we talk about much," said Lions Coach Mike Brandt. "The girls have bigger goals than this."

Said Kiah Stokes: "We'd like to keep these streaks alive until the end of the season."

The other strings of note: 36 overall wins, 53 regular-season victories.

Linn-Mar scored the first 10 points, built a 28-9 lead midway through the second quarter, then held off a couple of second-half surges by the Women of Troy (7-1, 5-1).

West got within 36-31 midway through the third quarter and within 48-43 with 5:55 left in the game. Both times, the Lions had an answer.

After West's second threat, Linn-Mar put together an 11-2 run, and Stokes scored none of those points.

"West can score a lot of points in a hurry, and I'm very proud that we were able to withstand their runs," Brandt said.

A University of Connecticut signee, Stokes registered 17 points (on a pedestrian 6-of-14 shooting performance) and 21 rebounds.

All of the other starters chipped in. Jenna Eells added 13 points, Mykaela Brandt 11, Kailee Karr 10 and Rachel Thrune eight.

That balance harmed West somewhat. A 14-of-66 shooting exhibition hurt more.

"We got some wide-open looks," said West Coach B.J. Mayer. "The first quarter, we just didn't make anything. We were too jacked up at the beginning.

"Everybody hears a lot about Linn-Mar. The kids felt they deserved some credit, too."

Sophomore Ally Disterhoft led West with 17 points.

Linn-Mar will go after its record-breaking MVC win Jan. 4 at Waterloo West. The Women of Troy host Cedar Rapids Washington that same night.

AT LINN-MAR

IOWA CITY WEST (49): Ally Disterhoft 5-15 5-5 17, Brianna Sturtz 1-4 2-2 5, Shelly Stumpff 3-12 2-2 10, Jessica Shull 1-2 0-0 3, McKenzie Piper 3-16 2-2 9, Tatum Klein 1-8 0-0 2, Paige Yoder 0-2 3-4 3, Shahana Williams 0-5 0-0 0, Kelley Fliehler 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 14-66 14-15 49.

LINN-MAR (63): Mykaela Brandt 4-9 3-8 11, Rachel Thrune 3-3 2-4 8, Kailee Karr 4-10 1-2 10, Jenna Eells 5-12 1-2 13, Kiah Stokes 6-14 5-8 17, Sara Strauel 1-5 0-1 2, Leandra Martins 0-1 0-0 0, Shanice Cheatham 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 24-56 12-25 63.

Halftime: Linn-Mar 32, West 19.

Total fouls: West 20, Linn-Mar 14. 

Fouled out: none.

3-point goals: West 7-26 (Disterhoft 2-3, Sturtz 1-1, Stumpff 2-7, Shull 1-1, Piper 1-6, Klein 0-5, Yoder 0-1, Williams 0-2), Linn-Mar 3-10 (Brandt 0-1, Karr 1-4, Eells 2-4).

Rebounds: West 49 (Klein 9), Linn-Mar 41 (Stokes 21).

Assists: West 7 (Disterhoft 3), Linn-Mar 6 (Brandt, Karr 2).

Steals: West 11 (Disterhoft 4), Linn-Mar 11 (Thrune, Eells 4).

Turnovers: West 22, Linn-Mar 17.