Sioux Falls, S.D. --- The Minnesota State University women's basketball team overcame a slow start to defeat the Sioux Falls Cougars by a score of 71-67 on the road. With the win the Mavericks improved to 5-4 (4-3 NSIC) while the Cougars fall to 5-2 (5-2 NSIC).

Tayla Stuttley gave the Mavericks an early spark and after converting a three-point shot for her seventh point of the game, Minnesota State and Sioux Falls went into the first media timeout tied 9-9. The Cougars extended themselves to a 16-13 lead with five seconds to go in the quarter, but Joey Batt responded taking the ball the length of the floor and connecting on a buzzer beating layup to end the first quarter down 16-15 to Sioux Falls.

The second quarter proved to greatly favor the Cougars as they opened the frame with a 6-0 run and managed to extend their lead to 33-23 over the Mavericks going into halftime.

Stuttley led the Mavericks in scoring in the first half with seven points while Mikayla Nachazel led the way with six boards.

As a team, Minnesota State struggled from the field shooting 25% despite going a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line.

The Cougars extended their lead to as many as twelve points early in the third before the Mavericks completely changed the flow of the game. Minnesota State, propelled early by Brooke Tonsfeldt would outscore Sioux Falls 26-14 in the third, punctuated by a completed and-one from Rachel Shumski, completely erasing the deficit and taking a 2-point lead into the fourth.

Shumski continued her offensive onslaught in the fourth quarter, propelling the Mavericks to a five-point lead on a couple of occasions and with 4:53 to go, Minnesota State led the game 58-55. After the Cougars cut the lead to one, Emmaline Polson drilled a jumper and responded with a tip in on an offensive rebound after a Sioux Falls bucket on the other side, maintaining a Maverick 64-61 lead.

Minnesota State, up 68-65 with just under a minute to go managed an offense rebound from Batt which allowed them to continue to kill clock and after a missed three from the Cougars, Tonsfeldt fought for the rebound and called a timeout. On the Inbounds pass, Sioux Falls was forced to foul Stuttley who calmly drained both free throw attempts to extend the Maverick lead to five.

Sioux Falls quickly hit a layup and were once again forced to foul but Stuttley split the free throws and the Cougars rebounded the ball. Minnesota State forced the late miss from Sioux Falls and held on to claim the 71-67 win.

Shumski led the Mavericks with 19-points while recording seven boards and a block. Stuttley finished the game with 16-points while Polson finished with 11 points and a team high eight rebounds while Batt recorded 10 points.

As a team the Mavericks shot 37.3% from the field compared to 39.3% for the Cougars and held the edge on the boards 43-40.
Minnesota State will remain on the road next weekend with a pair of games against Winona State with tip-off Friday scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and Saturday scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m.