Box score
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Southwest Minnesota State committed 20 turnovers in its 78-56 non-conference season-opening loss to Missouri Western State on Friday night at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) / Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Challenge hosted by MWSU. The game was the first in the
Tom Webb era.
The Mustangs have now lost three straight season openers dating back to the 2013-14 season. SMSU's last season-opening win was in 2013 when the Mustangs defeated Crown College 101-43 at the R/A Facility. MWSU (1-0) has now defeated SMSU in four straight appearances, including the Griffons' 93-61 win over the Mustangs to open the 2015-16 campaign.
The Griffons finished the night shooting 29 of 69 (42%) from the field and netted 11 3-point field goals on 30 attempts. The Mustangs allowed 17 Griffon offensive rebounds with Sefulu Faavae leading with four. MWSU's Dwanisha Tate led with a game-high 16 points on 5 of 14 shooting. Chelsea Dewey and Erin Anderson also hit double-figures for MWSU by chipping in 13 and 10, respectively.
Offensively the Mustangs were led by
Taylor Holicky's 14 points on 5 of 6 shooting.
Caleigh Rodning, in her first game as a Mustang finished with 13 points -- nine of which coming from the free throw line.
Lauren Hedlund finished with eight points and eight rebounds.
Leading 12-11 early in the second quarter following a 3-point bucket by
Jamie Spicer, the Mustangs allowed the Griffons to go on a 10-0 run over to take the lead 21-12. SMSU would get within seven with 37 seconds left but Tate drained a buzzer-beater to give MWSU a 32-22 at the break.
MWSU came out of the gates fast in the third quarter building its lead to 19 with 7:03 left to play when Julia Torres completed an and-one 3-point play. The deficit ballooned to 22 minutes later but the Mustangs would work it back down to 12 with 59 seconds left in the quarter but it was Tate again hitting a 3-pointer late. MWSU went into the fourth quarter with a 15 point lead.
SMSU again struggled at the start as the Griffons scored the first eight points of the quarter to build their lead to 23 -- the largest of the game with 7:08 to play. MWSU scored 10 points off Mustang turnovers in the fourth quarter alone and coasted to a 78-56 victory.
SMSU (0-1) finished the night shooting 18 of 44 (40.9%) from the floor, including 7 of 17 (41.2%) from behind the arc and 13-18 (72.2%) from the charity stripe.
SMSU will return to action tomorrow at 4:30 pm from the MWSU Fieldhouse as the Mustangs take on Fort Hays State in another non-conference tilt.
