Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State University women's basketball lost a hard-fought battle 99-93 against the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears. With the loss the Mavericks drop to 9-6 (8-5 NSIC) while the Golden Bears improve to 11-5 (9-5 NSIC).

Mikayla Nachazel got the offense going early for the Mavericks scoring seven of the teams first nine points as Minnesota State built an early 9-4 lead. After a small run from the Golden Bears, a Rylee Menster layup gave the Mavericks a 19-11 lead with 53 seconds to go in the first. Concordia-St. Paul was able to convert an and-one late to cut the MSU lead to 19-14 after one quarter of action.

The Golden Bears made a push in the second, taking a 26-21 lead to cap off a 12-2 run with 5:57 to go in the half. The Mavericks cut the lead to as few as two points a couple of times down the stretch in the first half but a free throw with one second to go gave Concordia-St. Paul a 40-35 halftime lead.

Nachazel finished the first half with a team leading 11 points to go along with a block and three boards while Brooke Tonsfeldt collected seven points and six rebounds.

As a team, the Mavericks shot 39.5% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc but the Golden Bears managed a 45.5% shooting percentage. Minnesota State held the rebounding edge in the first half 23-21.

Concordia-St. Paul opened the second half with a 12-8 run to extend its lead to nine points midway through the third. The Mavericks countered with a major push of their own and with a Joey Batt three pointer, tied the game at 55-55 with 4:25 to go in the quarter. The Golden Bears once again managed to pull away late in the quarter as they took a 66-60 lead into the fourth.

Concordia-St. Paul began the fourth quarter with a 14-6 run, extending its lead to a game high 14-points with 5:56 to go in the game. Joey Batt and Rachel Shumski traded baskets as they attempted to get the Mavericks back into the game, cutting the Golden Bear lead down to as few as five points with :43 to go, but Concordia-St. Paul was able to convert enough of its free throws to hold on for the 99-93 win.

Batt finished the game with a career high 29-points to go along with four steals and four boards. Nachazel and Shumski each scored 15-points and Tonsfeldt finished with 11-points and nine boards.

As a team, Minnesota State shot 48.6% from the field while CSP made 47.1% of its shots. Minnesota State held a slim rebounding advantage of 42-41 but the difference came on the free throw line where the Golden Bears made 24 attempts compared to 17 makes for the Mavericks.

The Mavericks will await the results of the remainder of the NSIC to determine seeding for the NSIC Women's Basketball Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D., with all games played in the Sanford Pentagon. The first games will tip-off Thursday, Feb. 25 with matchups to be determined.