Lady Mavs take down Undefeated Mustangs
Daniel McElroy ® Sports Editor |
Photo by Mansoor Ahmad ® Photo Editor |
The Minnesota State University women’s basketball team split another series against the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs last weekend, handing the Mustangs their first loss of the season.
The Mavericks sit in the middle of the standings with an overall record of 4-4, and conference play record of 3-3. The Mustangs fall to second in the standings after sustaining their first loss of the year.
Mikayla Nachazel got the scoring started for the Mavericks on Friday with a jumper good for two in the first minute of play. The Mustangs then take the lead with a 3-pointer from the Mustangs leading scorer, Meleah Reinhart. The Mavericks regained the lead with two good free throws from Rachel Shumski and a pair of 3-pointers from Joey Batt and Tayla Stuttley, giving the Mavericks an early 10-3 lead.
The Mavericks held this lead going into the second quarter with a score of 25-18.
Following a layup from Shumski to start the second quarter, the Mustangs scored nine unanswered points, tying the game at 27 a piece. The half ended with the Mavericks making three more free throws, while the Mustangs made a 3-pointer and layup going into the locker rooms with a 32-30 lead.
Shumski led the scoring for the Mavericks at the half with eight points and two rebounds.
After a few lead changes in the third quarter, The Mustangs hold on to the lead for the entirety of the fourth quarter. The Mavericks kept it to a close game with a deficit of one point with six minutes remaining in the game, but it only led to a 10-1 run by the Mustangs, holding the lead to take the 75-66 win.
Shumski led the scoring for the Mavericks with 17 points, along with eight rebounds and three steals.
The Mavericks wouldn’t go home without some success, though. Saturday’s contest handed the Mustangs their first loss of the season, knocking them off the top of the standings in the south division of the NSIC.
A close back and forth first quarter kept it at a one possession game for much of the first quarter until Shumski extended the lead with a layup and a pair of free throws, followed by a free throw from Stuttley to end the first quarter with a 19-13 lead.
The Mustangs come back and start the second quarter with a layup and free throw, cutting the lead to one point. Another close back and forth second quarter gives the Mavericks the confidence they need by not giving up their lead for the entire quarter, and heading into the second half with a 35-31 lead.
The Mavericks extended their lead in the third quarter by as much as 10 points, following Stuttley’s layup and Emmaline Polson’s jumper making it 47-37.
Polson saw the most play time she has so far this season with 32 minutes played across the two games and 10 total points scored. She came into the series with only 22 minutes played in four games this season.
The Mavericks end the quarter with a 52-44 lead. The Mavs extended this lead by 12 in the start of the fourth quarter with a layup each from Shumski and Brooke Tonsfeldt.
MSU holds this lead for the rest of the game and takes down the undefeated Mustangs in a 68-61 win.
The Mavericks shot at 35.2% in field goals and 20% in 3-pointers in the statement victory. Stuttley led the team in scoring with 18 points.