SAN ANTONIO — Midwestern State (4-6, 1-3 Lone Star) fell to (RV) St. Mary's (8-2, 3-1 Lone Star), 72-54, at Bill Greehey Arena, as the Rattlers secured a decisive rebounding advantage with a 55-40 edge on the boards. Despite forcing 21 turnovers, the Mustangs were unable to capitalize, with only 18 points off turnovers.
The first quarter began with StMU securing an early lead through a jumper by Christin Callens, assisted by Raynne Malik. MSU responded with a layup by
Macie Upshaw at 7:43, leveling the score at 2-2.
Calyssa Sevier contributed points with a layup and a free throw, pushing the Maroon & Gold ahead 10-5 at 3:58. Despite the Rattlers' efforts to close the gap, a jumper by
Kerbie Cash with 11 seconds left ensured MSU ended the quarter with a 17-13 lead. The visitors capitalized on turnovers, forcing seven from StMU while committing only two themselves.
In the second quarter,
Ta'Leeyah Glynn initiated the scoring with a jumper at 9:30, extending their lead. The Rattlers responded with a layup from Callens at 9:20, keeping the game competitive. Glynn contributed significantly, recording a fast-break layup at 7:40 following a steal, which prompted a timeout from StMU. Despite a late surge by the Rattlers with a three-pointer from Allie Garcia at 5:34, the Mustangs maintained a narrow 30-27 advantage by the quarter's end, with
Carisa Cortez sealing the period's scoring on a tip-in at 2:16.
StMU capitalized on a strong offensive performance in the third quarter, outscoring the Mustangs 24-10. Quezia Bertoni contributed significantly with a layup at 9:21 and a three-pointer at 6:27, propelling the home team forward. MSU struggled to find their rhythm, being held to just 10 points in the period. The Rattlers extended their lead with Lena Newby's layup at the 6:00 mark, keeping the momentum firmly in their favor. A late jumper by Cortez for the Mustangs closed the quarter, bringing the score to 51-40, but the Rattlers maintained a commanding lead.
The Rattler secured a decisive win in the final quarter, outscoring the Mustangs 21-14. Key contributions came from Callens, who made two free throws at 8:58, extending their lead to 53-40. The Maroon & Gold responded with a three-pointer by
Alyssa Hutterer at 7:57, but the Rattlers maintained control with a layup from Imani Ivery at 7:10 and a three-point shot by Garcia at 5:55. Despite efforts from the Mustangs, including a jumper by
Veonce Powell at 3:26, the Rattlers continued to build their advantage with a fastbreak layup from Newby at 5:10, helping them seal the victory.
Glynn scored 11 points and recorded two steals, contributing on both ends of the court. Upshaw posted a game high 10 rebounds, adding nine points, and blocking two shots. Sevier added 12 points and collected four steals, providing a strong defensive effort.
Caelyn Williams recorded six rebounds and two steals, bolstering the team's defensive plays.
Garcia led StMU with 19 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field, including three 3-pointers, and pulled down seven rebounds. Callens contributed 14 points and matched Garcia with eight rebounds. Malik was a defensive force with two blocks and added eight rebounds. Tiara Louis made an impact with two steals, while Newby added eight points and recorded two steals.
In their next game, the Mustangs will face St. Edward's (Texas) on Sunday, Jan. 4. The matchup will take place at 1 p.m. at the Recreation and Convocation Center in Austin, Texas.
