Wayne Neb. – The Minnesota State women's basketball team lost to #19 Wayne State on Friday evening by the score of 62-46.
With the loss, the Mavericks record falls to 9-4 overall and 6-2 in conference play.
In a first half where both teams shot in the low thirties for field goal percentage, WSC only shot 33.3% and MSU shot slightly better with 34.4% from the field. The Mavericks and Wildcats traded baskets for the majority of the half as the biggest lead at any point was a five-point advantage from WSC with 1:00 minute left in the half. The first half saw six ties and three lead changes from both teams.
Going into the half, senior forward
Lexie Ulfers led the way for the Mavericks with eight points and one block. Senior forward
Jamie Bresnahan was right behind with six points of her own, to go along with three rebounds and two assists, while sophomore guard
Britney Scherber posted four points and four rebounds to her stat sheet.
The second half didn't get much better for the Mavericks as they still struggled from the field. Wayne State was able to extend its lead to eight over the Mavericks, 35-27, at the 15:35 mark of the second half. The Mavericks would fight back, as they went on a little 8-1 run of their own, to cut the Wildcats lead to one, 36-35, with 13:42 left to play in the game.
That would be the closest MSU got to the lead, as the Wildcats would outscore the Mavericks, 26-11, to close out the game. In the second half, MSU also got outscored 19-2 in the paint and only converted five field goals (5-35)
.
Overall, MSU shot just 23.9% (16-67) from the field in the game, including 3-22 from three. The Mavericks got outscored by the Wildcats in the paint, 27-12 and from the bench, 20-8.
Individually, Ulfers led the way, finishing with a team-high 12 points, to go along with her six rebounds, while Bresnahan added 10 points, five rebounds and two assists. Scherber contributed six points, five rebounds and three assists, as senior guard Aubrey Davis also finished with six points and six rebounds.
The Mavericks will continue their weekend road trip, as they will take on Augustana on Saturday at 4 p.m in Sioux Falls, S.D.
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