BOX SCORE
PITTSBURG, Kan. - Pittsburg State used a 23-0 run in the second half to earn a 97-51 victory over Southwest Minnesota State at the Pittsburg State Classic on Friday afternoon.
In the first half, SMSU (0-1) would use the three-ball to keep up with the Gorillas as the Mustangs connected on six shots to shoot 40 percent from three-point range.
Pittsburg State (1-0) was sloppy early as the Gorillas turned the ball over 14 times in the first half. SMSU would have its hand in five of those turnovers as the Mustangs collected five steals.
Pittsburg State built its largest lead of the half to 12 points with 4:46 left remaining as Lauren Brown made a nice play to tip in a Lizzy Jeronimus missed layup. SMSU immediately came down the court and cut the lead back down to nine with an
Annessa Rosch three-point play off a foul on a made lay-up.
The Gorillas would recapture the momentum on their home court as PSU went on a 9-5 until the 28 seconds mark in the first half. The Mustangs would close out the half on a positive note as SMSU capitalized on a Gorilla turnover with a
Hope Bonlander lay-up with just seven seconds in the first half. The Mustangs went into the half trailing 41-32.
SMSU and PSU would trade baskets to open up the second half. After a
Rebekah Rolling layup at the 17:17 mark, the Mustangs would go scoreless for the next seven minutes. The Gorillas would take advantage as Pittsburg State scored 23 straight points to push the lead to 32 points during SMSU's scoring drought.
SMSU managed just one 3-pointer and 19 points in the second half, while PSU exploded for 58 points in the second half to take the game 97-51.
Rebekah Rolling led the Mustangs, as she recorded 13 points,
Annessa Rosch and
Bree Holleman both followed with 11 points respectively.
Four Gorillas netted double-digit scoring figures as Morgan Westhoff had a game-high 17 points, Lizzy Jeronimus followed with 15, Drew Roberts recorded 13 and Lauren Brown had 12.
SMSU will wrap-up the Pittsburg State Classic with a game versus Missouri Southern State (0-1) tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.
