Finishing Flurry - Mside closes GPAC first half on right foot

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – A four-game win streak and seven wins in its last eight opportunities are the trends National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division II No. 7-ranked Morningside College takes into the second half of the 2019-20 Great Plains Athletic Conference season.

Head coach Jamie Sale's squad, which has been on the rise of late, continued that theme Saturday, Jan. 11. Snapping a three-game series skid against loop rival Northwestern College, the Mustangs used a quick second-half start to break away to a 76-66 victory.

The Mustangs, moving to 15-4 overall and 9-2 in the league, scored 19 of the first 23 points of the second 20 minutes, opening up a 20-point lead. NWC battled back to as close as six in the closing moments, but junior guard Sierra Mitchell (JR/Pleasant Hill, IA) (Pleasant Hill, Iowa), concluding a 26-point afternoon, hit six straight charity tosses over the final 14 seconds to lock up the decision.

Mitchell's stat line included six three-point baskets, allowing her to add another game to her already lengthy roll of successive outings with two-or-more treys (16). Sophomore forward Sophia Peppers (SO/Exira, IA) (Exira, Iowa) also had a big role, tallying a double-double (13 points and 13 rebounds) which was the second of her career and season. Freshman guard Olivia Larsen (FR/Fonda, Iowa) (Newell, Iowa) registered an impressive resume, scoring seven points and picking off four steals.

Morningside begins the second half of GPAC play Wednesday, Jan. 15. Doane University visits for a 6 p.m. start.

NOTES: Mitchell moved up a spot on the program scoring list. She climbed into the No. 21 spot (1,243 points) surpassing Eric Thein (1998-2002).