Maybe the economy is having an effect on the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers.

When the economy takes a turn for the worse, crime goes up, especially burglary. The Lady Tigers turned to stealing Wednesday as they rolled past the Portsmouth Lady Trojans 59-22 in a Southeastern Ohio Athletic League game.

The Lady Tigers had 21 steals as they forced Portsmouth into 30 turnovers.

Janie Morris was the top thief with seven steals. Brea Tackett had five and Mercedes Crockrel four as six different players had at least one steal.

“Our defense did a good job of anticipating and jumping to the ball,” said Ironton coach Doug Graham. “Any time you hold a team to single digit scoring in all four quarters, you’ve done a good job.”

Ironton (8-3, 5-1) had three players in double figures led by Crockrel with 19 points in just three quarters. She also had four rebounds and two assists.

Lorna Ceaser had 13 points and 13 rebounds while Morris scored 13 points to go with six rebounds.

The game was virtually over before the end of the first quarter. Ironton raced to a 17-0 lead before Ri-chiel McGraw made a putback shot with 29 seconds left on the clock.

Shanyce Rollins hit two long 3-pointers in the second quarter as Portsmouth cut the deficit to 19-10 at the 5:35 mark.

But Ironton closed the half with 13 unanswered points — seven by Crockrel — to build a 32-10 cushion at the break.

A steal and layup by Crockrel to start the second half was a sign of things to come. Ironton had five more steals in the third quarter to build a 42-19 lead.

Portsmouth (1-7, 0-4) did not make a field goal in the fourth quarter and scored just three points.

The Lady Tigers’ Arden Sparks made a layup and Cortney Rister nailed a 15-footer down the stretched to set the final score.

Ironton visits Jackson next Wednesday.

Portsmouth 2 8 9 3 = 22

Ironton 17 15 10 17 = 59

PORTSMOUTH (1-7, 0-4): Ashleigh Link 1 0 0-0 2, Kasey Simpson 1 0 0-1 2, Ri-chiel McGraw 2 0 3-4 7, Ruthie Stanley 0 0 0-2 0, Shanyce Rollins 1 2 0-0 8, Shae Cartee 0 0 1-2 1, Leda Daehler 0 0 0-0 0, Cailyn Rodriguez 0 0 2-4 2. Totals: 7-27 6-13 22. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 2-8. Rebounds: 6-20=26 (Link 5, Rollins 5). Assists: 1. Steals: 6 (Simpson 2, Rodriguez 2). Turnovers: 30.

IRONTON (8-3, 5-1): Mercedes Crockrel 4 1 8-9 19, Alex Taylor 1 0 0-0 2, Brea Tackett 2 0 2-2 6, Janie Morris 6 0 1-1 13, Lorna Ceaser 6 0 1-5 13, Cortney Rister 2 0 0-0 4, Emily Lilly 0 0 0-0 0, Arden Sparks 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 23-61 12-17 59. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 1-7. Rebounds: 18-18=36 (Ceaser 13, Morris 6). Assists: 11 (Morris 6, Crockrel 2, Tackett 2). Steals: 21 (Morris 7, Tackett 5, Crockrel 4). Turnovers: 11.