San Antonio, Texas --- The Minnesota State women's basketball team (4-0, 1-0 NSIC) traveled to San Antonio, Texas to take part in the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic. In day one of the tournament, the Mavericks took on the Javelinas of Texas A&M University - Kingsville ( 3-2, 0-0 LSC). The Mavericks would go on to take care of the Javelinas handily, with a final score of 78-59.
The Mavericks were led offensively today by Joey Batt and Mikayla Nachazelwho both put down 16 points in the contest. The Mavericks were led on the glass by Emily Russo who hauled in the team high 6 boards. Rylee Menster led the team in assists as she dished out 4. As a team, The Mavericks tied their season high in steals with 20. With these steals the Mavericks set a St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic tournament team record in steals surpassing the host institution, St Mary's who had 16 steals on 11/30/2014 against Angelo State.
The Mavericks defensive pressure was immense from the opening tip. They Mavericks forced 12 turnovers and were able to turn that into 10 of the teams 18 points in the first. The Mavericks offense started the game on fire as they came out of the gates with an 8-0 run. Batt's pressure was great as she drove the team to a 6-2 run on back-to-back steals turned right into easy lay-ups. The Mavericks didn't allow the Javelinas to get anything going as they finished the first leading 19-8.
The second quarter saw much of the same for the Mavericks as the Javelinas were under fierce pressure from the Mavericks as they forced them into four consecutive turnovers to begin the frame. Nachazel was dominant in the paint as she scored the team's first three buckets from down low to begin the quarter. The Mavericks only allowed six made baskets by the Javelinas compared to their 10 including two three balls from Batt and Desiree Kleiman. The Mavericks forced a staggering 22 turnovers compared to their eight. The Mavericks scored 21 points off the turnovers. The Mavericks went into half with a 17-point lead at a score of 38-21.
As a team, the Mavericks shot 44% from the field, 20% from behind the arc and were a perfect 100% as they went 4-4 from the charity stripe. The Mavericks also held a slim rebounding margin with 16 compared to the Javelinas 14. The Mavericks led all but 32 seconds of the first half.
To begin the second half, the Mavericks came out sluggish as the Javelinas were able to force the Mavericks into errant turnovers and cut the Mavericks lead to single digits at nine just over three minutes into the quarter. The Mavericks would settle back in and go on a 6-0 run to go back up double digits 44-29 halfway through the third. The Mavericks would get back on the offensive prowl. The Mavericks defense would force three more turnovers to go on a 14-2 run to close out the third with a 22-point lead with a score of 61-39. In the fourth, the Mavericks continued to wear out the Javelinas as, they had no answer for the Mavericks defensive pressure. The Mavericks were able to maintain a 20 point or more advantage for the majority of the fourth and cruised to victory over the Javelinas with a final score of 78-59 Mavericks.
As a team, the Mavericks shot just under 43% from the field, 22.7% from downtown and 81.3% from the stripe. The Mavericks forced 34 turnovers which is tied for the second most for the team since 2003-04 season. The Mavericks would turn those turnovers into 34 points.
The Mavericks will wrap up the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic tomorrow as they take on St. Mary's University with tip-off scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
-30-
