Poplar Bluff's first points of the season came after Kiley Bess picked off a pass and made a layup at the other end Saturday afternoon.
It was a preview of things to come as the Mules forced 42 turnovers and breezed to a season-opening 79-60 win over Osceola (Ark.) at the Senior High Gym.
"Our defense this year is so good," said senior Doni Everts who had six steals, eight rebounds and 19 points. "We all know where each other is going to be and so we know if they have it up top, they know we have down low.
"We have a lot of good communication."
Bess scored a game-high 21 points and also led with seven steals for the Mules. Shelby Sievers scored six of her eight points in the first quarter and had seven rebounds while freshman Emma Johnson added nine points.
"The bunch that has played for us before, they understand what we're doing," Mules coach John David Pattillo said. "They did a good job of getting into passing lanes, kept our position a lot better defensively. I was pleased with that."
Poplar Bluff didn't give up a field goal over the first 4 minutes, 37 seconds to build a double-digit lead. Even before Osceola got off a shot, the Mules were already ahead 4-0 after Bess scored off steals.
A steal by Everts led to a Bess bucket before Bess scored off another steal to put the Mules up 10-1. Following a bucket in the post by Sievers, the senior got a steal of her own. Johnson knocked down a corner 3 off a pass from Bess to push the margin to 15-3.
Four seconds after Osceola scored its first bucket, the Mules answered with Everts scoring in transition and drawing the foul for a three-point play. Another steal by Bess led to a 22-5 advantage after Johnson's putback with 2:20 left in the opening quarter.
Five different Mules had multiple steals.
By the end of the half, Poplar Bluff had scored 23 points off turnovers and led 38-17.
"Those guys do a great job of reading the passing lanes," Coach Pattillo said. "We just got to make sure we get a little bit to where we're cheating and releasing a little bit too soon. We need to continue to make sure we keep the ball away from the middle of the floor as much as we can."
The Mules led 24-7 after one quarter and Bess made it a 20-point game with a three-point play on a drive down the left side of the lane. Another 21-point performance will put the sophomore halfway to 1,000.
Everts matched her career-high in points, scoring 10 in the third quarter, and could have flirted with a triple-double had she not taken a seat on the bench for much of the second half of the blowout.
"So much fun to watch," Everts said of her teammates. "I love cheering them on."
Savannah Hicks scored five points off the bench for the Mules while freshmen Hannah Corcimiglia and Alexis Richardson each added four points.
Katie Pattillo opened the second-half scoring with a 3 and the Mules were up 52-21 with five minutes left in the third.
Osceola out-scored the Mules 39-27 the rest of the way. Shacorreya Weatherspoon led the Seminoles with 18 points while Rondaishia McNeal chipped in 10.
Poplar Bluff has the next week off before opening the SEMO Conference Tournament against Notre Dame at 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27 at Saxony Lutheran.
"I think if we headed straight in, then it would have been chaos," Everts said. "But since we got this (game) we know what works, what doesn't work and so I think we'll be good."