No. 13 Mustangs start the 2023-24 season with a win

FOREST CITY, Iowa – In a preview of a soon to be conference match-up, the No. 13 Mustangs defeated Waldorf 84-66 in Forest City, Iowa Friday night.

The Warriors hung around in the first half of both team's season opener, trailing 33-27 at halftime. Morningside's defense was a force all game long, forcing 10 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes and 17 for the game. 

Morningside exploded out of the half, going on an 18-5 run to open a nearly 20 point lead. Waldorf would fight back in the second half, getting hot from beyond the arc and cutting the lead back to 11, but couldn't get the lead to single digits.

The Mustangs shot nearly 50% from the field (32-68) and committed just six turnovers. Four Mustangs scored in double figures, led by three players at 14 points. Aidan Vanderloo and Ely Doble scored 14 each and Joey Skoff added 14 off the bench for the Mustangs.

Dylan Johnson went 5-for-6 from the floor and 3-for-4 from three to score 13 points off the bench. Vanderloo and Brendan Buckley led the team with four assists apiece and Buckley had a team high six rebounds.

The Mustangs and Warriors will be conference opponents starting in 2024-25. Until then, the Mustangs turn their focus to the rest of the 2023-24 campaign, starting with a road swing down to Kansas next weekend. 

Morningside's next matchup is against No. 16 Kansas Wesleyan in Salina, Kansas. The game is a rematch of the NAIA Second Round game from a season ago when the Mustangs won 87-80 to punch their ticket to Kansas City.