WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Midwestern State committed a season-low eight turnovers to overcome a brutal shooting night and come away with a 64-57 Lone State Conference win Monday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
It was the fourth-straight win for the Mustangs, who goes into the Christmas break at 7-3 on the season and to 4-1 in league play.
Midwestern returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 4 against Central Oklahoma. Tipoff at D.L. Ligon Coliseum is set for 6 p.m.
Abilene Christian took advantage of MSU shooting 10-of-33 (30.3 percent) in the opening half to take a slim 26-24 lead into the intermission on the strength of a pair of Sarah Reno free throws with 51 seconds to play.
The Mustangs didn't shoot any better after halftime -- 10-of-34 (29.4 percent), but outhustled the Wildcats, who were playing without leading scorer Mack Lankford.
Midwestern converted 21 turnovers into 16 points and outworked the taller Wildcats for 23 offensive board for a 13-2 edge in second-chance points.
Savannah Carver, who finished with a team-high 12 points, tallied three points and assisted a
Cierra Thompson layup during a 9-1 run late in the second half as MSU extended a 40-39 lead to a 51-42 bulge with 51-42 with 4:46 to play.
The Wildcats scrapped back to within two points on a pair of Renata Marquez charity tosses with 1:27 to play, but MSU knocked down 5-of-6 free throws - four by
Dianna Jones - to preserve the victory.
Thompson added 12 points and five rebounds for the Mustangs while Jones had 10 points and four rebounds off of the bench.
Paige Parliament and Cecilee Perez had 12 points each to lead Abilene Christian which fell to 4-5 on the season and to 1-4 in LSC play.
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-- MSUMustangs.com --