Twelfth-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie is hitting a rough patch in the home stretch of its girls basketball season and it may not get any tougher then it was Thursday night.

Second-ranked Iowa City West had four players score in double figures and raced past Prairie, 75-45, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Prairie.

Prairie (11-6, 8-5) got 18 points from Courteney McCrary, but lost its third straight game. The Hawks play at No. 9 Iowa City High Friday night, then have games against ranked foes Dubuque Wahlert and Xavier next week.

“We have to play better,” Prairie Coach Steve Doser said. “We have three tough ones left; we have to be better.”

Iowa City West (17-1, 13-0) plays at Jefferson Friday night. The Women of Troy suffered their only loss Saturday, 52-48, at Class 3A No. 2 Davenport Assumption. They rebounded with a 20-point win over Mount Pleasant before whipping Prairie by 30.

“They are obviously one of the top teams (in the state).” Doser said of West. “They are very balanced and can all shoot, which is rare.”

Prairie battled with the Women of Troy in the first quarter, playing and just about matching the Women of Troy’s fast paced, pressure style of basketball.

After one quarter of up and down basketball the Hawks trailed by just 21-19.

“We ran with them in the first half,” Doser said. “I thought we did a good job and came ready to play.”

McCrary kept the Hawks' offense rolling with 12 of her game high 18 in the first quarter on 5 of 6 shooting.

“Courteney did a nice job tonight,” Doser said.

Iowa City West started pulling away early in the second quarter with an 8-2 run, and pushed its lead to 12 as leading scorer Ally Disterhoft got hot from distance and the Women of Troy defense limited McCrary’s touches.

“We need to get more kids to step up offensively,” Doser said. “We didn’t have a real good flow and we didn’t take care of the ball real well.”

The game was still within reach for the young Hawks coming out of halftime, but Iowa City West showed what makes them so tough by completing controlling the pace while increasing its lead to 19 after the third.

“Our defense was poor in the second half,” Doser said.

The Hawks were shut out from the floor in the fourth quarter.

Junior Alisa Weiland added nine points for the Hawks.

Disterhoft and senior Shelly Stumpff paced West with 17 apiece.

IOWA CITY WEST (75): Ally Disterhoft 6 2-2 17, Brianna Sturtz 0 0-0 0, Shelly Stumpff 7 3-4 17, Jessica Shull 2 0-0 6, McKenzie Piper 6 1-1 13, Tatum Klein 4 2-4 11, Shahana Williams 1 0-0 2, Kelley Fliehler 0 0-0 0, Griffin Reed 1 0-0 2, Lauren Larson 2 0-0 5, Mackenzie Haight 0 0-0 0, Dani Craig 0 0-0 0, Mikaela Morgan 0 0-0 0, Grace Tafolla 1 0-0 2, Mollie Mason 0 0-0 0, Laynie Whitehead 0 0-0 0. Team 30 8-11 75.

PRAIRIE (45): Katilyn Yanecek 0 2-2 2, Cyerra Hutchins 3 2-2 8, Alisa Weiland 3 1-2 9, Courteney McCrary 6 4-6 18, Madison Dellamuth 1 2-3 4, Emily Rotter 0 2-2 2, Abby Ganske 0 0-0 0, Chrisandra Freeman 0 0-0 0, Taylor Sanders 0 0-0 0, Marisa Adams 0 0-0 0, Allison Neuhaus 0 0-0 0, Josie Wagner 0 2-2 2. Team 13 15-19 45.

Halftime – IC West 38, Prairie 26. 3 point goals – IC West 7 (Disterhoft 3, Shull 2, Klein, Larson), Prairie 4 (Weiland 2, McCrary 2). Total Fouls – IC West 16, Prairie 13.