CPU gets past Benton, 27-22, in a Wamac West grind

CEDAR RAPIDS — They are two good teams. Two top-10 teams in Class 3A.

And Saturday night, they played the lowest-scoring game in the 18-year history of Rivalry Saturday.

Eighth-ranked Center Point-Urbana held No. 5 Benton Community to 17-percent shooting, led from start to finish and prevailed in a Wamac Conference West Division grind, 27-22, at Johnson Hall.

“Against a team like that, we’ll take it any way we can get it,” CPU Coach Philip Klett said.

No apologies necessary. The Stormin’ Pointers (2-0 overall, 1-0 division) opened the season with two rivalry wins: Marion on Tuesday, and Benton on Saturday.

“It was sloppy,” CPU’s Nicole Rick said. “They’re a really good team, but I think we did a really good job on defense. We knew who their shooters were.”

CPU won despite its own shooting mess. The Stormin’ Pointers hit 8 of 40 shots (20 percent), and won despite no field goals in the final 11 minutes.

Benton (1-1, 0-1) was 7 of 42.

“We know them well, and I think they know us pretty well,” Klett said. “Both teams will be different, a lot better, in late January and early February.”

It didn’t start out like this. Rick hit a pair of 3-pointers in the early moments of the game for a 6-0 CPU lead. But the pace slowed and it was 12-2 after a quarter, 14-7 at halftime.

Benton got within 23-22 on a pair of free throws by Jenna Twedt with 1:22 left, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Twedt led all scorers with 11 points.

Rick paced CPU with eight points.

The 49 combined points broke the previous low of 54; Maquoketa Valley defeated Edgewood-Colesburg, 37-17, on Jan. 22, 2011.

Center Point-Urbana 27, Benton Community 22

At Johnson Hall

BENTON COMMUNITY (22): Emma Townsley 3-8 0-0 6, Piper Nelson 1-4 0-0 2, Mckenna Kramer 1-8 0-0 3, Jenna Twedt 2-17 7-7 11, Zoey Junge 0-1 0-0 0, Laura Junge 0-0 0-0 0, Addison Phillips 0-2 0-0 0, Aubrey Kelly 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 7-42 7-7 22.

CENTER POINT-URBANA (27): Tayler Reaves 1-5 4-6 6, Alivia Sweeney 1-4 0-0 2, Addy Tupa 2-5 1-2 5, Mya Hillers 0-4 2-2 2, Nicole Rick 3-13 0-0 8, Avery Sweeney 0-3 2-2 2, Addilyn Wade 0-1 0-0 0, Deni Katcher 1-4 0-0 2, Kailey Spurlock 0-0 0-0 0, Josie Klett 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 8-40 9-12 27.

Benton Community 2 5 6 9 — 22

Center Point-Urbana 12 2 6 7 — 27

3-point goals: Benton 1-18 (Townsley 0-2, Nelson 0-1, Kramer 1-6, Phillips 0-1, Kelly 0-2, Twedt 0-5, Z. Junge 0-1), CPU 2-15 (Reaves 0-1, Avery Sweeney 0-1, Alivia Sweeney 0-1, Wade 0-1, Katcher 0-3, Tupa 0-1, Hillers 0-1, Rick 2-6). Team fouls: Benton 15, CPU 11. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Benton 25 (Twedt 7), CPU 33 (Hillers 9). Assists: Benton 2 (Nelson, Twedt), CPU 4 (Alivia Sweeney 2). Steals: Benton 6 (Townsley 3), CPU 7 (Tupa 2). Turnovers: Benton 12, CPU 16.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com