Mustangs avenge loss to Beavers

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - Morningside College outscored Minot State University 40-21 in the first half and then help off the Beavers in the second to take an 81-71 win over Minot State in nonconference NAIA women's basketball Sunday at Allee Gym.

"We struggled to get good shots in the first half. Their pressure hurt us. We didn't look to attack and were a little tentative in the first half," MSU head coach Sheila Green Gerding said. "It got better in the second. We didn't have the mindset in the first half that you have to have on the road. We outplayed them in the second half."

The Mustangs (3-4), the NAIA's preseason No. 1, built a 21-point lead behind six on 3-pointers in the first half. Laura Nelson scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half for Morningside, which lost 103-94 in overtime in Minot to start the season.

"They are a very good team and if they are hitting shots, they are even better," Green Gerding said. "They did a good job of attacking us inside and got us into some foul trouble."

But the Beavers stormed back in the second. MSU cut the lead to nine with just under a minute to play on a layup by Ari Hendrix, but the Beavers couldn't get any closer. Hendrix scored eight of her 10 points in the second, while Mackenzie Mack poured in 16 of her game-high 22 in the second. Mack was stellar as she pulled down 18 rebounds and added three assists to her points.

"I thought our first team did a great job in the second half of executing what we needed," Green Gerding said. "And we got some good minutes off the bench. We got good production from Sacarra (Molina) and Adrianna (Cordova).

"I was proud of how we battled back in the second half and showed some character. We could have easily rolled over and taken it. It's harder on the road, you have to dig deeper sometimes and now we know the effort we have to give."

MC finished with five players in double figures as Brittany Williamson scored 15 to lead the way. Nelson finished with 14, Tanaeya Worden 11 and Leslie Foral and Roni Miller chipped in with 10 each.

Molina and Caroline Folven each added 10 points for the Beavers (3-1). Cordova and Sam Medcalf finished with six points apiece for MSU, which continues a road swing with exhibition games at Moorhead State today and Minnesota-Duluth Tuesday.

"We will be battled tested after this trip," said Green Gerding.