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For the second time this season, the Montcalm Community College Centurions women’s basketball team hit the century mark, beating North Central Michigan College 100-58 on the road, Saturday, Jan. 31. 

The Centurions’ explosive offense featured four players who either surpassed or almost scored 20 points. Freshman Emma Rehkopf (Belding, Mich.) led the way, busting out for a game-high and career-high 27 points, shooting 7-for-15 from the 3-point line. She also had six rebounds. 

“What led me to scoring 27 points was being able to shoot the ball well and, most importantly, as a team, we outhustled NCMC,” Rehkopf said. “Hitting those outside shots always feels good, but I would not be able to do that without my teammates.” 

Freshman guard Baylor Syrjala (Lakeview, Mich.) scored 22 points while both freshman Kendall Stout (Stanton, Mich.) and sophomore Emily Putnam (Sheridan, Mich.) each scored 18 points.  

Syrjala led the team with eight assists and eight steals while Putnam and freshman Karlie Bacon (Stanton, Mich.) led the team in rebounds, each getting seven. 

The Centurions (4-3 MCCAA North, 7-13 overall) have now won back-to-back games and are 4-1 in their last five games.  

Against the Timberwolves (1-6 MCCAA North, 3-16 overall), the Centurions’ offense went to work quickly, going on a 17-0 run right out of the gate. NCMC didn’t score until Cadence Cullin’s layup with 4:31 to go in the first quarter.  

MCC ended up outscoring NCM 33-10 in the first quarter, led by Rehkopf, who went 3-for-3 at the 3-point line, scoring a total of 11 points in the quarter. Stout scored seven as she, too, did well from outside, shooting 3-of-6 from the 3-point line. 

MCC didn’t let up in the second quarter either, outscoring the Timberwolves 22-11 to go into halftime with a 55-21 lead. 

“We are really understanding how to play together,” MCC head coach Scott Pedigo said. “I think everyone is really taking pride in their roles and they are really coming together.” 

After the half, the Timberwolves managed to get their offense going, outscoring the Centurions 23-21 in the third quarter. However, MCC dominated the fourth quarter with a 24-14 scoring advantage.  

Every one of MCC’s nine players managed to score a point.  

Rehkopf credits the team’s hard-hat attitude, with continuing to work hard throughout practices and through all four quarters of games, which, she said, has led to the team’s recent success. 

“Something our team has been doing well lately is we’re not giving up and we’re always pushing each other to do our best,” Rehkopf said. “As a team, we have been able to shoot the ball well and find each other on the open cuts. Now only having nine girls, it is important we keep pushing and supporting one another.” 

MCC shot 40% at both the 3-point line (22-of-54) and from the field (33-of-86) vs. NMC’s 18% from the 3-point stripe (3-of-16) and 33% from the field (19-of-57). Though the Timberwolves had a nine-point advantage at the free throw line, the Centurions outrebounded them, 52-45, had more assists, 22-12, and forced more turnovers, 24-13. MCC also scored 31 points off turnovers to NMC’s 15, and had a 17-6 scoring advantage in second-chance points. 

Pedigo said it is important for his team to keep doing what has been successful as MCC comes up against two of the conference’s best teams in No. 15-ranked Mid Michigan (7-0 MCCAA North, 18-3 overall) and Bay College (6-1 MCCAA North, 17-4 overall) in its next two games. 

“We are just going to keep on working at getting better at what we do, staying together and keep playing fearlessly,” Pedigo said. “We got some very good teams coming up. We get the opportunity to play some of the best teams in our conference.” 

MCC lost to Bay College 113-48 on the road Jan. 10 and lost to Mid Michigan 106-74 at home Jan. 14. 

Rehkopf pointed out one key area that may help her Centurions team take a win against Mid Michigan. 

“In order to beat Mid Michigan Wednesday, we need to play together and outhustle Mid,” she said. “We need to execute defensively, and we need to run our offense in order to find the open cuts and shots.” 

UP NEXT: MCC will travel to Mount Pleasant to take on the Mid Michigan Lakers tomorrow night. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m.  

On Saturday, Feb. 7, at 1 p.m., the Centurions will host the Bay College Norse.