THE RUNDOWN
STEPHENVILLE – The MSU Mustangs couldn't overcome a season-high 43 made free throws by Tarleton State in an 86-81 thriller in Stephenville. The loss drops the Mustangs to 10-8 on the season and 7-5 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
Midwestern State closed the first half on an 11-3 run after trailing by as many as 15 with 4:28 to play before the intermission. Junior forward Chelsea Adams scored 13 of her 15 first half points in the second quarter, with nine of those coming on the run by the Maroon and Gold to close the half.
 
Foul trouble hurt the Mustangs in the early goings as four of five starters were tagged with two fouls in the first half. The TexAnns went 23-of-25 from the free throw line in the opening 20 minutes, compared to MSU's 6-of-7 from the charity stripe.
 
MSU continued to close the gap, pulling to within four to start the fourth quarter, 68-64. After a three-pointer by TSU's Kylie Collins stretched the lead to six, the Maroon and Gold mounted an 8-0 run to take the lead, highlighted by one of senior guard Whitney Taylor's four triples on the night.
 
The lead by the Mustangs was short-lived, however, as MSU gave up the lead for good on a Mackenzie Hailey layup with 3:33 to play.
 
Senior guard Jasmine Richardson and sophomore guard Mica Schneider twice made layups to pull Midwestern State within one, but free throws allowed the TexAnns to extend the lead back to five with 1:41 to go.
 
Taylor answered with a layup of her own and Richardson knocked down both free throws to cut it to one with 39 seconds on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Tarleton State's McKinley Bostad stepped on the baseline while driving to give the Mustangs an opportunity to shoot for the lead in the final seconds. Schneider's layup from the left block bounced off the front iron. After a pair of free throws, Taylor launched a deep three that fell short of the basket. The TexAnns grabbed the rebound and hit both free throws to close out the game.
 
Senior guard Kristin Rydell and junior forward Chelsea Adams each scored 17 to lead MSU. Taylor added 14 points and six assists and also tied Adams for the team lead with six rebounds.
 
Katie Webster led the TexAnns with 29 points and 13 rebounds.

NOTES
- Midwestern State lost its fourth-straight Lone Star Conference road game in an 86-81 setback to Tarleton State.
- The 81 points scored and 86 points allowed were both season-highs for the Mustangs.
- MSU held the TexAnns to 34.5 percent from the floor, the fourth-straight time the defense has held the opposition under 40 percent.
- The Mustangs shot 41.4 percent, marking the fifth-time this season the team shot better than 40 percent.
- Tarleton State's 43 made free throws were the most allowed by MSU this season, beating the previous high of 39 against Southern Nazarene on Dec. 30. The 46 free throw attempts by TSU were the second-most, behind the 49 shot by Southern Nazarene.
- The MSU bench outscored Tarleton 32-5, highlighted by Chelsea Adam's 17 and Mica Schneider's 8 points.
- Senior guard Kristin Rydell drained a season-high four triples and scored 17 points, her second-highest outburst of the season (18 vs. Texas Woman's; Jan. 18). It was her fourth-time scoring in double-figures this season.
- Junior forward Chelsea Adams scored a season-high 17 points, beating her previous mark of 16 against Tarleton State on Nov. 30. Both her games in double-figures came against the TexAnns. She shot 70 percent from the field while notching season-highs in rebounds (6) and assists (2).
- Senior guard Whitney Taylor dropped 14 points while knocking down four three-pointers. The Melissa native needs 11 more treys to break the all-time program record. Taylor added a season-high six assists in the setback.
- Sophomore guard Mica Schneider distributed a season-high three assists.

UP NEXT
Midwestern State is back in action on Thursday, Feb. 1 against Texas A&M-Kingsville at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.