Women’s Basketball takes down Top Team in the South in Sioux Falls
Daniel McElroy ® Sports Editor |
Photo by Mansoor Ahmad ® Photo Editor |
The Minnesota State women’s basketball team took a massive win over the top team in the standings, University of Sioux Falls on Sunday.
With the win, the Mavericks improved their record to 5-4, as the Cougars fell to 5-2 on the season, and remained in the first position in the NSIC south division standings.
Saturday’s meeting between the two teams was canceled due to COVID-19 testing protocols and will not be rescheduled.
The game immediately starts with Tayla Stuttley shooting and making two free throws following a foul from Sioux Falls’ Krystal Carlson. The teams exchange baskets throughout the first quarter, without the lead exceeding three points.
The cougars shifted the momentum in their favor in the second quarter by going on an 8-0 run in the first three minutes, just for MSU to respond with six points in a row of their own, making the score 24-21 in favor of the Cougars. The Mavs only find the two more free throws from Maddy Olson to end the half, while the Cougars get nine more points, going into the lockers with a score of 33-23.
At halftime, Stuttley led the scoring for the Mavericks with seven points.
After Sioux Falls started the second half with a quick jumper, the Mavs went on a 9-0 run cutting the lead to 35-32, and eventually taking over the lead with two jumpers and a free throw from Rachel Shumski. MSU ended the third quarter with a 49-47 lead.
Although a very close fourth quarter, the Mavericks didn’t let go of the lead, with Shumski having a huge final quarter herself scoring ten points. The Mavericks take the win 71-67 over the top team in the south.
Shumski led the team in points with 16 and 7 rebounds, with Stuttley not far behind her, netting 13 of her own.
Joey Batt is getting back into her old self again, after scoring her first double digit game since her career-high game of 28 against Augustana. Coming into Sunday’s game, Batt scored 74 points in the first half of the season, and just 25 in the second half. Batt scored 10 points in the win, going 4-8 in field goals.
The Mavericks shot a .373 field goal percentage with a .250 percentage from three-point range, and had 43 total rebounds to the Cougars 40.
MSU will travel to Winona next weekend to take on the Warriors in their final road series of the season, before closing out the season back-to-back weekends at home.
Header photo: Rachel Shumski (45) led the Mavs in points (16) in Sunday’s win against the Sioux Falls Cougars.