WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Midwestern State (1-3) defeated Texas Wesleyan (0-1) 74-37 on Tuesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum, highlighted by a 14-0 run that stretched an 18-point lead to 32 from late in the third quarter into the fourth.
Drew Coffman earned his first win as a collegiate head coach in the home opener. MSU finished with a 51-27 rebounding advantage and had 21 assists on 27 made field goals.
Freshman
Bralyn Peck scored 20 points and collected 13 rebounds, including four on the offensive glass. It was the first double-double of Peck's career in her first game at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
Calyssa Sevier finished with 14 points and made four 3-pointers.
Peyton Stellato added 11 points with three 3-pointers and four assists.
Elina Syniakova recorded eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
After Nala Richardson opened with a layup,
Caelyn Williams hit a 3-pointer at 8:50, and after Ma'Ryeah McCoy put Texas Wesleyan back in front, Stellato's 3-pointer at 7:08 gave the Mustangs a 6-4 lead. Texas Wesleyan tied it at 6, but
Maiya Wesley connected from 3-point range at 5:09, Za'Naiha Hensley answered inside, and MSU followed with a Williams free throw and a Syniakova fast-break layup off
Victoria Barrera's assist to move ahead 12-8. Kameryn Phillips cut the margin to 12-10 with a jumper before Peck scored on a tip-in at 1:18, and McCoy made one free throw with one second left as the Mustangs finished the first quarter ahead 14-11.
Peck opened the second-quarter scoring with a jumper off a Wesley assist, and after Anjewl Murrillo scored in transition for Texas Wesleyan, Peck's putback gave MSU an 18-13 lead. Peck added a layup and the ensuing free throw at 6:23, and
Peyton Stellato followed with a layup off a
Laken Coffman assist to move the margin to 23-13. Texas Wesleyan answered at the line, getting free throws from Kameryn Phillips and Kennedy Holmes to trim the score to 23-16, but Peck added another tip-in before Syniakova hit a jumper off a Wesley assist. Alaina Hill scored Texas Wesleyan's final basket of the quarter, and the Mustangs took a 27-19 lead into halftime.
After Aniyah Sanford opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer for Texas Wesleyan to make it 27-22,
Mallory Jackson hit a 3-pointer, Peck made a free throw and Peck added a fast-break 3-pointer to put the Maroon & Gold up 34-22 at 7:28. Kameryn Phillips' two free throws brought Texas Wesleyan to 34-24 at 7:04, but MSU held Texas Wesleyan without another point until Sanford's jumper at 1:25 while Stellato and Peck made 3-pointers,
Caelyn Williams scored inside and Peck made two free throws for a 44-24 lead. Williams answered Sanford's late jumper with a layup off Peck's assist, and Sevier hit a fast-break 3-pointer off a Williams assist at :28 before adding a steal as the Mustangs finished the quarter ahead 49-26.
Sevier opened the fourth-quarter scoring for MSU with three 3-pointers in the first 1:44, the last off a Stellato assist at 8:16 to make it 58-26. After Texas Wesleyan added a free throw, the Mustangs scored the next eight points as Jackson and Sevier made jumpers, Stellato hit a 3-pointer and Jackson added a free throw for a 66-27 lead at 5:34. Texas Wesleyan got baskets from Rita Shuman and Jada Hill during the middle of the quarter, but the Maroon & Gold added late points from Syniakova and
Caelyn Williams while closing out a 74-37 win.
Up next, MSU visits East Central on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 5:30 p.m. at Kerr Activities Center in Ada, Oklahoma.
