Ottawa ? After a narrow two-point victory over Kansas City Ward last Friday, Ottawa High girls’ basketball coach Cliff McCullough wasn’t sure what to tell his team about Monday’s first-round Class 4A sub-state game against Louisburg.

“I didn’t want to do anything special,” McCullough said, “because, after Friday’s game, I didn’t know what they were thinking or how they were playing, and we really didn’t have two very good practices Saturday and Sunday so I just said go out and play your game.”

That’s exactly what the Cyclones did, running to a 36-point halftime lead en route a 73-23 victory over the Wildcats to advance to Thursday’s semifinals.

“After the way we played Friday, it was nice to come out and play like this and play like we know we can,” McCullough said. “Louisburg is a very young ball team and we should look good against a team like that. The real test right now is what happens on Thursday. We’re going to have to be ready to play.”

If Monday was any indication, Ottawa, No. 2 in Class 4A, should be more than ready to take on Anderson County, a 58-30 winner over Chanute on Monday, in Garnett. Anderson County is the lone team to beat the 20-1 Cyclones this season.

The Cyclones forced six turnovers on the Louisburg’s first eight possessions and led 21-3 at the end of the first quarter.

By halftime, the Cyclones led 47-11 on 54 percent shooting. They outrebounded the Bulldogs, 20-9, and held them to 22 percent shooting.

“We got back to running up and down the floor, and that’s the bottom line,” McCullough said. “We got some turnovers off the press and that’s what we’ve lived and died by all season long.”

In their final game at home, seniors Lindsey Dieterich, Katie Sheffield, Kathryn Sylvester and Jayme Vance led Ottawa, although McCullough thought the girls had a bigger goal in mind.

“I don’t think they really got caught up in that because we’re focused,” he said. “We know where we want to get to. We try not to talk about it or think about it much, but we know.”

Dieterich scored a game-high 15 points  all in the first half  grabbed five rebounds and had four assists. Sylvester totaled nine points, eight rebounds and three steals.

Katie Sheffield scored six points, dished eight assists and had five steals. Vance scored 14 points for Ottawa, including two second-half three-pointers.

Ottawa 73, Louisburg 23

Louisburg (2-18)

Lauren Westhoff 1-1 0-0 2, Crystal Cline 2-5 0-2 4, Jodi Worthington 0-5 1-2 1, Erin Gettler 1-3 0-0 2, Katie Didier 0-7 0-0 0, Julie Buckingham 1-8 0-0 2, Jordan Bauer 2-6 0-2 4, Amanda Creamer 2-7 0-0 4, Jennifer Donner 0-4 2-4 2, Jennie Gettler 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 10-49 3-10 23.

Ottawa (20-1)

Liz Burks 6-12 0-0 13, Katie Sheffield 2-6 0-0 6, Jenny Heck 4-8 1-2 9, Jayme Vance 5-9 2-2 14, Laura O’Connor 0-2 0-0 0, Adrienne Allegre 0-1 0-0 0, Lindsey Dieterich 6-10 3-3 15, Kristin Kay 1-2 0-0 2, Kathryn Sylvester 3-10 3-5 9, Allie Daniels 1-3 0-0 3, Amanda Guenther 0-1 0-0 0, Julie Heck 0-0 2-5 2. Totals 28-66 11-17 73.

Louisburg 3 8 8 4 Â 23

Ottawa 21 26 18 8 Â 73

Three-point goals  Louisburg 0-0; Ottawa 6-13 (Sheffield 2-5, Vance 2-3, Burks 1-2, Daniels 1-2, Allegre 0-1). Total fouls  Louisburg 16, Ottawa 13. Turnovers  Louisburg 26, Ottawa 14.