2011 Iowa Girls State Basketball Tournament

Class 3A Semifinals

Mount Vernon 41, Central DeWitt 29

Mount Vernon is now one victory from a second consecutive state championship.

After winning the Class 2A title last year, the second-ranked Mustangs are headed to the 3A final after beating Central DeWitt 41-29 in an all-eastern Iowa semifinal matchup.

Sixth-ranked Central DeWitt stayed close for much of the game despite playing without star guard Lindsay Smith. Smith, who has signed with Wisconsin, tore the ACL in her left knee in a first-round victory over MOC-Floyd Valley.

But in the end, the Sabers couldn't cope with Mount Vernon's tall front line of 6-foot-2 Taylor Dicus, 6-2 Courtney Kintzel and 6-1 Amanda Platte.

During a decisive 8-0 run in the fourth quarter, Dicus turned a putback into a three-point play, Platte sank a free throw and scored on a follow shot and Dicus knocked down a jumper from the top of the key.

That burst turned a 29-23 lead into a 35-23 advantage with 3:25 left. Central DeWitt's Alex Hunter hit two straight 3-pointers to cut the lead to 35-29, but the Mustangs hit four of five free throws to wrap it up.

Dicus led Mount Vernon with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Micah Wieditz also scored 12 for the Mustangs and Platte finished with 11.

Northern Iowa recruit Jen Keitel led Central DeWitt with 13 points and six rebounds. Hunter and Niki Green both scored six.

Mount Vernon will take a 24-2 record into Saturday's 6 p.m. championship game against No. 4 Davenport Assumption, which was the Class 2A champion in 2008. Central DeWitt finishes an outstanding season with a 24-3 record.