THE RUNDOWN
SAN ANTONIO – Midwestern State's defensive intensity proved too much for St. Mary's (Texas) as the Mustangs rolled to a 62-47 win Friday night at the STMU Thanksgiving Classic at Bill Greehey Arena.
MSU limited the Rattlers to 25-percent shooting in the second half outscoring the opposition 41-21 to claim its second straight win to move to 3-1 on the season.
The Mustangs proved just as efficient on the offensive end 52-percent from the field spin a 26-21 halftime deficit into a 15-point win.
Senior forward
Micheline Mercelita paced the Mustangs with 13-points and matched Hanna Reynolds and Liz Cathcart with seven rebounds. Overall, MSU carried a plus-7 edge on the glass.
Midwestern scored the first 13 points coming out of the half to take a 34-26 lead on
Whitney Taylor jumper in the paint with 4:31 to go in the third period. The Mustangs pushed the lead into double figures with a 7-0 run at the beginning of the fourth period to claim ad 47-36 lead on
Avery Queen's triple with 7:58 to play.
Cathcart added eight points for the Mutangs, while
Kristin Rydell added seven. Senior Kristen Rydel. pitched, while Reynolds and Queen notched six points each.
Arysia Porter poured in 18 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists to pace the Rattlers.
NOTES
- Midwestern State held its second consecutive opponent to 30 percent shooting or lower limiting St. Mary's to 28.1 percent shooting. The Mustangs also limited Texas Wesleyan to a 30-percent shooting game the last time out on Nov. 15. MSU held one opponent -- Western New Mexico (27 percent on Jan. 12, 2017) -- all of last season.
- Senior forward
Micheline Mercelita delivered her second double-figure scoring effort of the season with a game-high 13 points. She added seven rebounds. Mercelita is averaging 12.3 points and eight rebounds over her last three games.
- Sophomore forward Liz Cathcart scored eight points and pulled down a season-best seven rebounds.
- Freshman forward
Hannah Reynolds scored six points on 2-of-4 shooting. She continued her overall stellar start to her career going for seven rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal.
- Midwestern State improved to 14-4 all time against the Rattlers.
UP NEXT
Midwestern State takes on No. 8 Lubbock Christian in the finale of the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic Saturday afternoon at Bill Greehey Arena. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.
The Lady Chaps fell to top-ranked Ashland 79-66 earlier Friday afternoon.
– MSUMustangs.com –
