Slump Buster - Mustangs pick up needed league victory

CRETE, NEB. – Thirteen three-pointers, a balanced scoring attack, and a determined defense proved a tasty recipe for Morningside College Wednesday, Feb. 13.

Head coach Jamie Sale's Mustangs, in search of a strong team outcome after dropping six of their previous seven, got just what the doctor ordered inside Doane College's Haddix Center. Mside, improving to 19-10 overall and 11-10 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, trailed in the early stages but surged ahead by as much as a seven-point advantage late in the first period and then held the host Tigers to seven points over the second 10 minutes and were off to an 83-53 win.

Sophomore guard Sierra Mitchell (SO/Pleasant Hill, IA) (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) tossed in five three-pointers, reaching 100 for the season, as part of a 15-point, three-steal output. Mitchell moved near some impressive single-season and career-point milestones, too, closing within one of 900 career-wise and five from 500 this year. She was joined in double digits by sophomore forward Kailey Burke (SO/Hinton, IA) (Hinton, Iowa) who came off the bench to score 14 to tie her personal season-best total and also grabbed three rebounds.

Morningside's scoring column didn't end with the pair, though. Thirteen players scored and 17 got on the court for the Maroon. Other top-notch numbers came from junior guard Skyler Snider (JR/Kearney, NE) (Kearney, Neb.) who finished with seven points, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots; junior forward/center Sydney Hupp (JR/O'Neill, NE) (O'Neill, Neb.) got in on the blocking bonanza with five of her to add to eight points, four rebounds, one steal, and one assist; junior guard Jordyn Moser (JR/Harlan, IA) (Harlan, Iowa) finished with four assists and three steals; and sophomore guard Grace Meyer (SO/Pomeroy, IA) (Pomeroy, Iowa) who picked up four steals.

The Mustangs conclude the regular season Saturday, Feb. 16. They travel to the University of Jamestown for a 2 p.m. start.