Lady 'Stangs Fall to Golden Bears

by Nick Lenz, Sports Anchor/Reporter
December 15, 2012 11:10 PM


MARSHALL, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team shot just 25 percent from the floor and scored only 20 points in the second half in its 81-59 loss to Concordia-St. Paul at the R/A Facility on Saturday.

With the loss, SMSU drops to 1-9 overall, 0-4 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. CU improves to 5-4 overall, 3-2 in the NSIC.

Three Mustangs recorded double-digit scoring, led by Bree Holleman’s 14 points. Hannah Beeler and teammate Ellen Degler both added 10 points for the Mustangs.

Concordia outscored SMSU 39-20 in the second half.

SMSU had a tough time slowing down CU’s Anika Whiting as she netted a career-high 29 points in the contest.

In the opening minutes, SMSU built up an 11-point lead as the score stood 18-7. Concordia would tie the game with 6:52 remaining and the Golden Bears would take their first lead just seconds later off a Mustang turnover. Megan DeRuyter connected on a 3-point shot with 19 seconds remaining in the half to cut the CU lead to just 3-points.

The Mustangs shot 59.3 percent from the floor, including 66.7 percent from 3-point range in the first half but turnovers proved problematic as CU had 14 points off SMSU’s 11 first half turnovers.

CU finished the game with 24 points off of turnovers, and 14 second chance points.

SMSU was outrebounded 36-30, including 19-13 in the second half.

SMSU will be back in action on January 4, 2013, when the Mustangs travel to take on Winona State.