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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- The No. 19 Minnesota State women's basketball team used a 58 point first half as it downed the University of Mary 95-71, improving to 23-5 on the season and extending its winning streak to 12 games. The Marauders' season comes to an end with a 17-10 record.
The Marauders were able to hang with the Mavericks for the first four minutes of the contest before the MSU defense tightened, not allowing U-Mary to connect on a field goal for nearly four minutes as the Mavericks opened up a 29-11 lead with 10:25 remaining in the first half. The MSU offense was clicking on all cylinders in the first half as the Mavericks took a 58-37 lead into intermission.
MSU connected on 51% (21-41) of its shots from the field, 45% (5-11) from behind the arc and connected on all 11 attempts from the charity stripe in the opening 20 minutes. U-Mary connected on 41% (11-27) of its shots from the field, 29% (2-7) from behind the arc and 72% (13-18) from the stripe. The Marauders committed 13 first half turnovers while the Mavericks recorded seven steals and netted 14 points off of the U-Mary miscues.
The duo of junior
Aubrey Davis and senior
Ali Wilkinson led the way in the opening frame, as they each netted 14 points. Wilkinson, junior
Jamie Bresnahan and senior
Karlee Gengenbacher each hauled in five first half rebounds.
The Marauders were able to cut the Maverick lead to 18 points briefly, before the Maverick offense surged, opening a 78-54 lead with 11:55 to play. U-Mary outscored MSU 17-13 in the final 10 minutes of the game, but the Mavericks' lead was too large as MSU earned the 95-71 victory.
MSU cooled off in the second half only connecting on 35% (13-37) of their shots from the field, 14% (1-7) from behind the arc and 77% (10-13) from the stripe in the final 20 minutes.
Davis paced the Mavericks with 20 points and was one of five Mavericks to net double-digit points. Wilkinson finished the game with 19 points, junior
Lexie Ulfers added 15 points off of the bench, Bresnahan added 12 points and nine rebounds, while Gengenbacher rounded out the top-scorers, finishing with 11 points.
As a unit, the Mavericks connected on 44% (34-78) of their shots from the field, 33% (6-18) from behind the arc and 89% (21-24) from the charity stripe. The Marauders connected on 37% (23-62) of their field goals, 31% (6-19) from behind the arc and 70% (19-27) from the free throw line. U-Mary committed 24 turnovers compared to 13 by the Mavericks. MSU recorded 13 steals and scored 28 points off of the Marauder turnovers.
The Mavericks return to action tomorrow at 12:00 p.m., as they do battle with Northern State in the semifinal round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament in Sioux Falls.
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