Box Score
MARSHALL, Minn. — The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team trailed by four points with five minutes left in the third quarter, but a 16-3 run by Missouri Western State proved to be the difference as the Griffons downed the Mustangs, 93-61 in the Applebee's Classic Friday night.
SMSU scored the first points of the game but MWSU gained control and led the rest of the way.
Sarah Buysse,
Hope Bonlander and
Sariah Cheadle scored 14 of the Mustangs' 20 points after the first quarter of play as they trailed 27-20.
The Mustangs kept it close going into the break as
Annessa Rosch scored a layup with 1:07 left in the half to tie the game up 37-37. But a field goal and a 3-pointer by the Griffons gave them a 42-37 edge going into halftime.
Rosch made her presences known as she led the Mustangs after the first 20 minutes with 12 points, while Buysse and
Lauren Hedlund added eight and seven points, respectfully. Bonlander controlled the boards as the senior pulled down a team-high five while also dishing out three assists.
After the break, MWSU went on a 7-3 run and kept SMSU from scoring for nearly the first two and half minutes. The Mustangs would not back down as they cut the 13-point deficit down to four over the next two and half minutes. Cheadle cashed in back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Mustangs some motivation with five minutes left in the third quarter. The Griffons responded with a yet another run as they finished the quarter on a 16-3 tear.
Missouri Western State held control the last 10 minutes after dropping a 3-pointer with 5:29 left to play to give it its biggest lead of the game so far at 85-55. The Mustangs tried to rally again but could not pull a comeback together and fell short, 93-61.
Four Mustangs hit double-digit points as Hedlund, Rosch and Cheadle all finished with 12, while Buysse added 11 points and Bondlander nine. Bonlander led the Mustang defense grabbing seven boards, while Hedlund recorded six.
MWSU controlled the paint as it scored 52 points to SMSU's 20 in the box and capitalize on 28 Mustang turnovers adding 27 points off giveaways.
Southwest Minnesota State will resume action at the Applebee's Classic tomorrow at 5 p.m., against No. 10 Fort Hays State.
