Mavs Split Home Opener with Wildcats

Daniel McElroy ® Sports Editor |
Photo by Mansoor Ahmad ® Photo Editor |

The Minnesota State women’s basketball team split their series this weekend in their home opener against Wayne State College. 

The Mavericks dropped Saturday’s game by a score of 84-79, and returned the favor on Sunday with an 84-71 win.

The Mavericks started out the game with a strong 6-0 start following a jump shot and a layup from senior Rachel Shumski and another jumpshot from senior Brooke Tonsfeldt. 

The rest of the first quarter was a one possession game, going into the second quarter with the Wildcats up 19-17.

WSC started to pull away in the second quarter with an 11-4 run, making it a 33-24 game. MSU responded with a 10-4 run of their own, going into halftime with a 1 point deficit at 37-36.

The Mavericks fought back in the second half with Shumski regaining the lead after a layup, making it 46-44 with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter. MSU couldn’t quite hold on as the Wildcats took away the lead with under a minute remaining, going into the fourth quarter with a score of 60-58.

WSC wanted to finish the game strong, when they started the fourth quarter with a 13-2 run, giving them a 73-60 lead. MSU closed the gap to a one possession game as they went on a 14-4 run, but couldn’t quite complete the comeback. 

Shumski led both teams in scoring with a career-high 24 points, going 10-19 in field goals and 4-5 in free throws. 

The Mavericks came back to the Taylor Center on Sunday with a need to end the series with a win, and they do just that. 

A back and forth first quarter had the Wildcats taking an early 18-12 lead, but the Mavericks ended the quarter going on an 11-0 run, making it a 23-18 game. 

MSU continued this run in the second quarter, going up by 10 points, to make it a score of 30-20 following points from Mikayla Nachazel and Rylee Menster.

The Mavericks maintained this lead going into the second half with a lead of 50-42.

MSU increased this lead even further in the third and fourth quarter, reaching 16 point leads twice. The Mavericks closed out the weekend with a win of 84-71.

After a quiet showing on Saturday, Maddy Olson came out strong on Sunday as the leading point scorer with a season-high 17 points. Nachazel also recorded a career-high 17 points.

The Mavericks bench was a huge factor in this home win with 49 total bench points. The women’s team improves to 3-3, with a conference record of 2-2.

MSU will go back on the road this weekend as they take on undefeated Sioux Falls (4-0).