Box Score (PDF)

THE RUNDOWN
ODESSA, Texas – Midwestern State shot a season-best 51.8 percent from the floor with Whitney Taylor contributing 19 points on 70 percent shooting to lead the Mustangs to a season high in scoring in an 86-65 road win over UT Permian Basin Thursday evening at the Falcon Dome.
 
Midwestern State (7-14, 4-11 LSC) went in front for good with 5:58 remaining in the second quarter on a pair of Liz Cathcart free throws. Back-to-back three-pointers for Leanna James and Mica Schneider stretched the MSU lead to seven before UT Permian Basin (7-15, 3-12 LSC) pulled back within two at 43-41 with less than minutes to play in the half. The Mustangs closed out the half on a quick 5-0 spurt for a 48-41 advantage at the break.
 
A Taylor three with 5:39 to play in the third gave the Mustangs their first double-digit lead at 57-47 before taking a 67-53 lead after three quarters of play.
 
The Mustangs shot 63.6 percent in the final period while holding the Falcons to just 29.4 percent shooting. Midwestern put together a 7-0 run down the stretch to extend its lead to 20 at 76-56. A Cathcart layup in the final minute gave the Mustangs their largest lead of the evening at 23 before posting the win.

NOTES
- Whitney Taylor shot 7-of-10 from the floor including 4-of-6 from three-point range for 19 points
- Jennifer Arbuckle added 12 points for her fourth double-digit scoring outing in the last five games
- Leanna James notched a career-high 11 points, all coming in the first half, while leading the Mustangs with a career-best nine rebounds
- Mica Schneider recorded a career-high 10 points with eight coming in the second quarter
- Arbuckle, James and Kristin Rydell each dished out four assists to lead MSU
- MSU's 86 points were the most for the program since scoring 94 against Eastern New Mexico on Feb. 14, 2015
- Midwestern State held a 43-30 rebounding edge with a 19-3 advantage in second chance points
- The Mustangs matched a season-low 11 turnovers, holding a 14-7 edge in points off turnovers with the Falcons also committing 11
- In addition to a season high in shooting, MSU also finished with a season-best 53.3 percent clip from behind the arc by going 8-of-15
- UT Permian Basin shot 39.3 percent for the game while firing just 23.3 percent from long range
- Victoria Lopez scored 13 points while Niva Taito added 12 to lead UTPB

STAT OF THE GAME
86 – Midwestern State scored a season-high 86 points on a season-best 51.8 percent shooting

UP NEXT 
Midwestern State concludes its road swing Saturday with a 2 p.m. tipoff against West Texas A&M at the First United Bank Center in Canyon.